25th  Congress, 
2d  Session. 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


Ho.  or  Reps. 


SHIP  CANAL  AROUND  THE  FALLS  OF  NIAGARA. 

[To  accompany  bill  H.  R.  No.  466.] 


January  25,  183S. 


The  Committee  on  Roads  and  Canals,  to  zvhichwas  referred  the  report 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  of  the  result  of  the  survey  of  the  several 
routes  of  a  ship  canal  around  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  to  connect  the 
navigable  waters  of  the  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario,  together  with  the 
several  memorials  on  the  same  subject,  have  had  the  same  under  con- 
sideration, and  beg  leave  to  report  : 

That  at  the  2d  session  of  the  24th  Congress  the  same  committee  had 
the  subject  under  their  consideration,  and  a  report  was  submitted  to  the 
House  by  the  Honorable  Gideon  Hard,  one  of  its  members,  exhibiting 
both  the  great  utility  and  feasibility  of  this  important  national  work.  To 
this  able  report  the  committee  invite  the  attention  of  the  House,  and  ac- 
knowledge themselves  indebted  for  many  of  the  facts  and  arguments  here- 
in imbodied. 

It  appears  the  attention  of  Congress  was  first  called  to  notice  this  im- 
portant project  in  the  year  180S,  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution  of  the  other 
branch  of  the  Legislature,  calling  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to 
report  a  scheme  of  internal  improvements,  embracing  such  objects  only 
as  were  deemed  within  the  legitimate  powers  of  Congress,  and  were  wor- 
thy of  its  action.  In  that  report  was  included  the  work  now  under  con- 
sideration. One  object  of  your  committee,  in  referring  to  that  report,  is 
to  show  that  this  is  no  new  project ;  but  one  which,  at  a  very  early  day, 
before  the  commerce  on  the  northern  lakes  was  known  or  even  fully  an- 
ticipated; before  the  tide  of  emigration  had  set  to  the  West,  when  western 
New  York  was  in  its  infancy,  and  the  now  populous  western  States 
scarcely  known,  except  as  one  vast  forest,  was  considered  national,  and  as 
worthy  of  the  efficient  aid  of  the  National  Government.  Since  that  pe- 
riod two  other  surveys  have  been  made  ;  one  in  1826,  prosecuted  under 
the  auspices  of  an  association  of  private  individuals  ;  the  other  in  1835, 
under  direction  of  Captain  W.  G.  Williams,  United  States  topographical 
engineer,  pursuant  to  an  order  of  the  late  Executive.  These  several  sur- 
veys put  the  entire  feasibility  of  this  work  beyond  the  reach  of  contro- 
versy. The  report  and  survey  of  Captain  Williams  exhibits  the  great 
skill  of  that  faithful  officer,  and  bears  the  strongest  impress  of  scientific 
examination,  and  correctness  of  detailed  estimates.    This  being  the  only 

Thomas  Allen,  print. 


4 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


harmony  restored,  the  succeeding  Executive,  relying  upon  the  soundness 
of  the  principle  upon  which  it  was  founded,  again  introduced  to  the  con- 
sideration of  Congress  (to  use  his  own  language)  '  the  comprehensive 
scheme  of  roads  and  canals.' 

"President  Madison,  in  his  annual  message  of  the  3d  of  December, 
1816,  immediately  on  the  restoration  of  peace,  in  enumerating  the  objects 
of  general  interest,  says  :  4 1  particularly  solicit  the  attention  of  Congress 
to  the  expediency  of  exercising  their  existing  powers,  and,  when  neces- 
sary, of  resorting  to  the  prescribed  modes  of  enlarging  them,  in  order  to 
effectuate  the  comprehensive  scheme  of  roads  and  canals,  such  as  shall 
have  the  effect  of  drawing  more  closely  together  every  part  in  the  com- 
mon stock  of  national  prosperity.' 

"  It  is  manifest,  from  the  phraseology  of  that  message,  the  Executive  had 
direct  reference  to  the  comprehensive  scheme  of  roads  and  canals  which 
had  been  projected  under  the  preceding  administration.  This  portion 
of  the  message  w7as  referred  to  a  select  committee,  who  made  an  enlight- 
ened, and  it  might  be  added,  patriotic  report,  in  which  the  great  valley 
of  the  lakes  was  particularly  adverted  to  as  the  grand  theatre  upon  which 
the  General  Government  was  destined  at  no  remote  period  to  act  a  dis- 
tinguished part  in  effectuating  one  of  the  proudest  schemes  of  internal 
navigation  the  world  ever  beheld.  With  such  high  authority  before 
them,  the  committee  felt  that  they  would  be  justified  in  recommending 
the  construction  ol  this  canal  upon  the  authority  of  general  expediency, 
as  it  is  undoubtedly  an  object  coming  clearly  within  that  class  of  cases; 
but,  to  clear  it  of  all  doubt,  they  have  availed  themselves  of  more  recent 
decisions,  sanctioned  by  every  branch  of  the  Government,  that  give  them 
metes  and  bounds  of  constitutional  authority. 

u  When  the  question  of  State  rights,  which  had  been  settled  by  the 
famous  resolutions  of  1798,  was  reopened  by  the  introduction  of  a  pro- 
tective tariff,  various  and  conflicting  opinions  obtained  in  different  sec- 
tions of  the  country  in  regard  to  the  true  limits  of  the  powers  conferred 
on  Congress  over  the  subject  of  internal  improvements.  Objects  similar 
to  those  over  which  Congress  had,  by  common  consent,  exercised  undis- 
turbed jurisdiction,  and  on  which  it  had  expended  vast  sums  of  the  public 
treasure,  were  now  declared  out  of  the  pale  ofiis  authority. 

u  The  necessity  which  some  of  the  statesmen  discovered,  of  drawing 
closer  than  ever  the  cords  of  strict  construction,  in  order  to  defeat  the 
scheme  of  protection,  obliterated  or  defaced  all  the  ancient  landmarks 
which  had  hitherto  guided  the  Government  in  this  branch  of  its  duty,  and 
wholly  suspended  the  operation  of  a  system  from  which  the  country  had 
already  begun  to  reap  some  of  its  richest  fruits,  and  mystified  every  rule 
and  principle  in  relation  to  that  branch  of  federal  legislation.  The  fear- 
ful shock  which  the  constitution  received  from  the  violence  of  these  po- 
litical concussions,  staked  its  whole  safety  upon  the  event  of  mutual  com- 
promise and  concession.  An  eagerness  was  manifested  on  all  sides  to 
establish  some  fixed  rules  by  which  the  rightful  powers  of  Congress  might 
be  judged.  At  the  commencement  of  the  late  administration,  the  Exec- 
utive furnished,  by  way  of  opinions  expressed  to  both  branches  of  the 
Legislature,  a  constitutional  vocabulary,  which  was  supposed  to  be  based 
upon  the  literal  grants  of  the  constitution ;  the  terms  which  it  embraced 
were  intended  to  afford  a  criterion  by  which  every  individual  case  might 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


5 


be  judged  in  deciding;  upon  its  constitutionality.  Those  opinions  were 
contained  in  the  annual  message  of  the  7th  of  December,  1830;  on  ex- 
amining which,  it  will  be  found  that,  so  far  as  an  object  is  designed  for 
commercial  purposes,  it  must  have  a  connexion  with  the  foreign  commerce 
of  the  country.  That  this  was  the  criterion  which  was  attempted  to  be 
established  in  the  message,  is  abundantly  evident  from  the  following  short 
extracts. 

c<  After  alluding  to  the  uniform  practice  of  the  Government  in  defraying 
from  the  public  treasure  the  expense  of  building  light-houses,  light-boats, 
buoys,  beacons,  and  public  piers,  on  all  the  bays  and  harbors,  as  objects 
connected  with  the  revenue  and  foreign  commerce,  it  adds  : 

"  4  As  our  foreign  commerce  increased,  and  was  extended  into  the  inte- 
rior of  the  country,  by  the  establishment  of  ports  of  entry  and  delivery 
upon  our  navigable  rivers,  the  sphere  of  their  expenditures  received  a 
correspondent  enlargement.  Light-houses,  beacons,  buoys,  public  piers, 
and  the  removal  of  sand-bars,  sawyers,  and  other  partial  or  temporary 
impediments  in  the  navigable  rivers  and  harbors,  which  were  embraced 
in  the  revenue  districts  from  time  to  time  established  by  law,  were  au- 
thorized upon  the  same  principle,  and  the  expense  defrayed  in  the  same 
manner .' 

"  The  same  sentiment  was  expressed  more  in  detail  in  the  veto  message 
of  1832,  on  the  bill  making  appropriations  for  the  construction  of  harbors 
and  the  improvement  of  rivers.  From  this  bill  the  Executive  had  with- 
held his  signature,  for  the  reason  that  some  of  the  objects  were  of  a  local 
character-  In  the  message  he  mentions  the  classes  of  cases  which  he 
deemed  national,  and  therefore  constitutional : 

"  1.  Harbors  on  the  seaboard. 

"  2.  Navigable  rivers  below  a  port  of  entry. 

"  3.  Harbors  on  navigable  rivers  and  great  navigable  lakes." 

This  classification  recognises  distinctly  a  connexion  with  foreign  com- 
merce ;  according,  then,  even  to  this  doctrine,  is  not  the  great  pro- 
ject under  contemplation  most  manifestly  within  the  power  of  Congress? 
Have  not  the  great  inland  seas  a  most  intimate  and  direct  connexion  with 
our  foreign  commerce  ?  This  cannot  be  denied.  Any  work,  then,  having 
for  its  object  the  great  design  of  increasing  or  rendering  more  secure  that 
commerce,  would  surely  come  within  the  constitutional  limit,  as  pre- 
scribed by  General  Jackson  in  the  messages  alluded  to.  That  both  of 
these  objects  will  be  promoted,  will  appear  upon  examining  the  remarks 
upon  the  utility  of  the  work,  wThich  we  now  come  to  notice. 

The  completion  of  the  Welland  canal,  extending  around  the  Falls  of 
Niagara,  upon  the  Canadian  side,  was  considered  by  most  of  our  enlight- 
ened citizens,  who  had  marked  the  progress  of  this  improvement,  more 
in  the  light  of  a  military  than  a  commercial  enterpr  ise.  By  means  of 
this  canal,  vessels  of  war,  for  the  purpose  of  actual  hostilities  or  defence 
upon  either  of  the  great  lakes,  as  contingencies  might  warrant,  could  pass 
from  one  to  the  other;  thus  concentrating  at  any  moment  the  whole  force, 
and  avoiding  the  expense,  trouble,  and  risk,  of  maintaining  two  distinct 
fleets  upon  these  waters.  It  is  only  necessary,  in  order  fully  to  appreciate 
the  advantages  thus  secured,  to  advert  to  the  scenes  that  transpired  in 
this  region  during  our  late  contest  with  Great  Britain,  and  to  trace  the 


6 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


vast  frontier,  studded  with  villages  and  cities,  it  would  become  necessary  to 
protect  in  the  event  of  a  similar  rupture.  It  is  an  old  and  true  maxim  of  na- 
tions, that  "  in  time  of  peace  prepare  for  war  and  it  may  very  properly 
be  assumed,  that  the  best  guarantee  a  nation  can  possibly  have  for  peace, 
is  in  her  military  strength,  and  in  her  ability  to  maintain  and  defend  her 
rights.  Hence  we  see  a  constant  and  vigilant  jealousy  exercised  on  the 
part  of  the  European  Powers,  in  regard  to  their  respective  movements; 
and  any  considerable  accession  of  strength  on  the  part  of  either  is  justly 
considered  as  fraught  with  danger  to  the  preservation  of  peace,  and  the 
effect  invariably  counteracted  by  some  corresponding  movement  on  the 
part  of  the  other  Powers. 

So  long  as  a  due  equilibrium  is  presered,  neither  insult  nor  agression  is 
very  likely  to  be  committed ;  nor  will  war  follow  upon  every  frivolous 
pretext ;  entirely,  then,  as  a  strictly  defensive  measure — a  military  precau- 
tion— is  the  construction  of  this  canal  warranted,  in  order  to  counteract 
the  advantage,  in  case  of  hostilities,  England  would  derive  from  the  use 
of  the  Welland  canal,  as  a  channel  for  the  transportation  of  troops  and 
all  the  necessary  and  incidental  attributes  and  munitions  of  war,  it  would 
prove  of  incalculable  service,  and  supersede  entirely  the  necessity  of 
erecting  forts  and  maintaining  garrisons,  at  vast  expense,  at  the  innumer- 
able important  points  along  the  line  of  this  frontier.  It  is  not  to  be  ques- 
tioned that  the  whole  of  this  vast  region  of  territory  bordering  on  our 
great  western  lakes  would,  in  the  event  alluded  to,  be  liable  to  constant 
interruption  and  aggressions  from  the  hostile  forces,  and  the  necessity 
thereby  imposed  upon  the  Government  of  fortifying  and  protecting  the 
whole  of  this  interesting  portion  of  our  country.  The  hostile  forces 
could,  by  means  of  the  Welland  canal,  at  any  moment  be  concentrated 
upon  either  of  the  lakes,  and  thus  rendered  doubly  strong  and  effective. 
Sound  policy,  then,  just  a  regard  for  the  security  of  our  frontier,  and  the 
preservation  of  peace,  all  unite  in  urging  upon  the  national  Legislature  the 
great  propriety,  in  a  military  point  of  view,  of  the  construction  of  this 
stupendous  work.  The  existing  difficulties  in  Canada  form  no  inconsid- 
erable argument  in  favor  of  its  immediate  construction  ;  for  however  un- 
successful to  the  insurgents  this  revolt  may  prove  to  be  in  the  present  in- 
stance, it  is  not  to  be  disguised  that  such  outbreakings  are  more  or  less 
liable  to  occur  whilst  the  Canadas  remain  colonies  of  Great  Britain  ;  nor 
is  it  to  be  denied  that  such  revolutions  seriously  endanger  the  pacific 
relations  between  this  country  and  Great  Britain.  To  illustrate  this  po- 
sition, it  is  only  necessary  to  recur  to  existing  facts  upon  our  northern 
frontier.  Scenes  are  there  daily  transpiring  of  so  hostile  a  character 
that  the  utmost  energy  and  discretion  of  the  two  Governments  is  re- 
quired to  prevent  an  open  rupture.  The  Welland  canal  maybe  said,  vir- 
tually, to  be  closed  to  our  citizens,  and  the  interruption  to  an  intercourse, 
commercial  and  otherwise,  hitherto  of  the  most  friendly  and  beneficial 
nature,  to  amount  almost  to  a  direct  prohibition. 

It  is  but  a  few  days  since  that  armed  soldiers  were  stationed  at  the 
several  landings  on  either  side  of  the  river,  allowing  neither  persons  nor 
property  to  pass  without  a  scrutinizing  examination,  and  presenting 
throughout  the  Niagara  frontier  the  appearance  of  one  vast  military 
camp.  Under  such  a  state  of  things  our  citizens  cannot  be  expected  to 
use  the  Welland  canal  even  for  commercial  purposes  ;  and  should  the 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


7 


Canadian  Government  proffer  its  use  ever  so  sincerely  or  freely,  it  is 
not  to  be  supposed  that  such  a  proposition  would  be  accepted,  or  that 
merchants  or  others  would  risk  the  passage  of  their  property  through  a 
country  embroiled  in  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war.  So  long,  therefore,  as 
these  difficulties  exist,  if  not  so  long  as  there  remains  danger  of  their 
recurrence,  this  canal,  as  a  channel  of  western  trade,  must  be  closed. 
Hence  the  importance  of  the  immediate  action  of  our  Government,  not 
only  for  the  purpose  of  fostering,  sustaining,  and  encouraging,  the  enter- 
prise, industry,  -and  trade,  of  her  citizens,  but  also  of  strengthening  her 
arms  and  means  of  defence,  preparatory  to  the  event  of  a  foreign  war. 

The  committee  append  document  C,  from  the  report  of  the  engineer 
before  alluded  to,  illustrating  in  a  masterly  manner  the  various  military 
advantages  to  be  derived  by  the  Government  from  the  construction  of 
the  Niagara  ship  canal. 

If,  as  has  endeavored  to  be  shown,  the  completion  of  this  vast  na- 
tional enterprise  be  of  importance  in  a  military  and  naval  point  of  view, 
it  will  be  found  upon  examination  no  less  so  in  a  commercial  one.  It  is 
not  necessary  in  this  enlightened  age  to  dwell  upon  the  advantages,  mor- 
ally and  politically,  a  nation  constituted  as  this  is  derives  from  the 
extension  of  its  commerce  ;  and  the  obligation  imposed  upon  Government, 
at  all  times,  to  extend  to  it  its  fostering  care  and  patronage.  The  arts 
and  sciences,  morality,  religion,  and  civilization,  are  all  promoted  by 
commerce,  and  may  be  said  to  flourish  in  the  ratio  that  commerce  is 
advanced. 

In  a  country  like  ours,  consisting  of  a  number  of  distinct  political  com- 
munities, having  in  some  degree  separate  interests,  and  extending  over  a 
vast  extent  of  territory,  inexhaustible  in  all  the  elements  of  wealth  and 
enterprise,  the  cords  of  the  Union  will  be  strengthened,  the  happiness 
and  interest  of  the  people  greatly  promoted,  by  a  judicious  extension  of 
its  internal  communications.  The  diversity  of  our  soil,  climate,  and 
surface,  and  the  corresponding  diversity  of  its  productions,  begets  an 
interchange  of  commodities,  of  reciprocal  advantage.  Any  object,  there- 
fore, that  shall  increase  the  facilities  by  which  this  exchange  or  commerce 
is  carried  on,  will  have  a  direct  tendency  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
people,  and  render  more  intimate  existing  relations.  Labor  may  be  said 
to  be  the  first  source  of  wealth.  To  make  that  labor  availiable  beyond 
a  mere  subsistence,  commerce  is  necessary,  by  which  the  surplus  product 
of  the  labor  of  one  section  may  be  converted  into  the  luxuries  and  com- 
forts of  another.  All  the  varied  interests  of  man,  every  species  of 
enterprise  and  labor,  are  promoted  by  this  system,  and  no  opportunity 
should  be  neglected  by  any  Government  to  extend  its  blessings  to  all 
practicable  limits.  The  agricultural  interest  of  this  country  is  yet  in  a 
state  of  comparative  insignificance,  prosecuted  more  as  a  means  of  sub- 
sistence than  as  a  resource  to  wealth.  As  our  internal  communications 
are  increased,  the  great  wealth  of  our  agricultural  regions  will  be  devel- 
oped, and  the  science  of  farming  matured.  Perhaps  there  is  no  section 
of  the  territory  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  the  soil  of  which  is  more  fer- 
tile, or  its  mineral  elements  more  abundant,  than  the  great  valley  of  the 
lakes.  By  opening  this  new  artery  upon  the  scale  of  magnificence  rec- 
ommended, a  new  impulse  will  be  given  to  this  entire  section  of  country, 


8 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


and  one  of  its  most  obvious  advantages  will  be  the  enhanced  value  of 
its  real  estate,  which  may  always  be  said  to  be  in  the  compound  ratio  of 
its  productiveness  and  facilities  to  market.  When  an  agricultural  com- 
munity has  cultivated  its  lands  to  a  state  capable  of  supplying  the  home 
consumption,  the  improvements  of  the  actual  products  will  become  sta- 
tionary, unless  made  accessible  to  a  foreign  market ;  in  which  event 
cultivation  may  advance  to  an  indefinite  extent,  or  until  the  foreign 
demand  is  supplied. 

There  is  no  duty  imposed  upon  a  great  nation  more  obligatory  than 
that  of  affording  its  citizens  every  means  within  the  scope  of  its  powers 
of  acquiring  wealth  and  the  comforts  of  life.  This  gives  enterprise  to 
its  inhabitants,  and,  as  a  political  axiom,  it  may  be  said  that  every  people 
are  prosperous  and  happy  in  proportion  to  the  liberality  and  wisdom  of 
the  Government  under  which  they  live.  The  mode  of  government 
adopted  by  our  fathers  was  thought  best  calculated  to  promote  the  wel- 
fare and  happiness  of  the  people.  Any  object,  therefore,  which  has  this 
great  end  in  view,  carrying  out  this  great  principle,  it  is  incumbent  upon 
the  Government  to  perform.  How  better  can  this  be  done  than  by  af- 
fording artificial  channels  of  intercommunication  ?  thereby  promoting 
all  the  varied  interests  incidents  to  the  country,  harmonizing  conflicting 
opinions,  removing  sectional  jealousies,  and  imparting  additional  strength 
and  stability  to  the  Union.  By  such  a  policy,  the  remotest  sections  of  coun- 
try are  made  productive,  and  every  portion  of  our  soil  rendered  subser- 
vient to  the  ends  designed  by  the  great  Creator.  There  is  no  enterprise, 
perhaps,  that  could  be  gone  into,  that  would  produce  results  equally 
beneficial  with  this  :  as  there  certainly  is  no  territory  of  equal  extent 
more  capable  or  worthy  of  physical  improvement  than  that  bordering 
upon  and  contiguous  to  our  great  inland  seas.  As  before  observed, 
its  soil  is  of  unsurpassed  richness,  its  local  advantages  sufficient  for  all 
manufacturing  purposes,  and  in  mineral  productions  exhaustless. 

What  can  be  done  to  improve  the  moral,  social,  and  political  condition 
of  a  country,  and  enhance  its  w7ealfh  by  means  of  artificial  channels?  Let 
the  history  of  this  country  and  that  of  Great  Britain  for  the  last  thirty 
years  answer.  Nay,  in  Great  Britain,  we  will  go  still  farther  back,  and, 
by  a  reference  to  her  history  for  the  last  sixty  or  seventy  years,  we  shall 
find  that  the  construction  of  her  artificial  roads  and  canals  have  con- 
tributed, in  a  most  eminent  degree,  to  the  development  of  her  wealth 
and  resources,  and  to  her  present  proud  elevation  as  a  great  and  power- 
ful nation.  In  our  own  happy  country  we  are  by  no  means  destitute  of 
examples  showing  how  much  we  are  indebted  to  this  species  of  enter- 
prise for  the  rapid  and  unparalleled  advances  of  the  United  States  in 
wealth  and  population.  Look  at  the  great  Erie  canal,  in  the  State  of 
New  York:  a  monument  of  the  wisdom  and  enlightened  policy  of  its 
distinguished  champion,  as  permanent  as  the  hills  and  valleys  through 
which  it  passes.  Look  also  at  the  Erie  and  Ohio  canal,  in  Ohio,  and 
for  one  moment  contemplate  the  effect  of  these  improvements  upon  the 
western  country.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  these  two  canals  alone  have 
done  more  than  all  other  causes  combined  to  advance  the  wealth,  popu- 
lation, and  enterprise,  of  the  western  States,  to  enhance  the  value  of  the 
public  lands,  and  contribute  to  the  surprising  rapidity  of  their  sales. 

Let  not  the  existence  of  the  Hudson  and  Erie  canal  in  New  York  form 


L  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


9 


any  argument  against  the  construction  of  the  one  under  consideration. 
The  present  project  is  demanded  to  give  new  impetus  to  the  march  of 
enterprise  and  develop  new  resources.  Those  who  would  now  argue 
against  this  measure,  because  the  Erie  canal  affords  sufficient  facilities 
for  getting  the  products  of  the  country  interested  to  market,  would  have, 
with  equal  propriety,  argued  against  the  original  construction  of  that  ca- 
nal upon  similar  grounds.  The  products  of  this  region  will  increase  in 
proportion  to  the  increased  facilities  for  carrying  them  to  market,  until, 
indeed,  the  maximum  of  improvement  shall  be  attained;  an  event  scarcely 
within  the  scope  of  imagination.  What  a  harvest  England  is  reaping 
from  her  wise  system  of  internal  improvements,  to  which  she  is  indebted, 
in  no  inconsiderable  degree,  for  the  flourishing  condition  of  her  com- 
merce, agriculture,  and  manufactures.  That  the  same  system  will  pro- 
duce equally  beneficial  results  to  this  country  cannot  be  questioned. 
Indeed,  there  is  no  country  in  the  world  where  this  system  can  be  so 
conveniently  and  advantageously  prosecuted  as  in  this,  or  where  the  outlay 
would  yield  so  great  an  income.  All  those  who  are  sceptical  upon  this 
subject  we  would  seriously  invite  to  trace  upon  the  map  the  immense 
tract  of  country,  comprising  an  area  of  170,000  square  miles,  that  would 
be  thus  made  tributary  to  the  great  aggregate  of  national  and  individual 
wealth.  Long  since  has  Great  Britain  appreciated  the  importance  of 
securing  the  trade  of  this  vast  and  fertile  country,  and  with  much  vigor 
and  energy  has  she  prosecuted,  in  her  Canadas,  to  successful  completion, 
extensive  works  of  internal  improvement.  It  is  with  no  feelings  of 
jealousy  that  the  committee  advert  to  her  liberal  enterprise ;  her  exten- 
sive system  of  intercommunication  is  the  fruit  of  that  liberal  view  of  pub- 
lic policy  which  ever  characterizes  a  great  and  powerful  nation.  She 
has  not  neglected  the  favorable  opportunities,  afforded  in  a  state  of  peace 
and  plenty,  to  prepare  for  war ;  and  equally  mindful  has  she  been  of  her 
commercial  interest,  not  having  failed  to  avail  of  every  means,  physical 
and  moral,  so  to  improve  her  own  navigation  as  to  intercept,  in  a  meas- 
ure, the  trade  of  the  western  States,  and  draw  it  into  her  own  ports. 
By  the  Welland  canal,  a  communication  is  open  between  Toronto  and 
the  upper  lakes;  the  Rideau  canal,  built  at  the  vast  expense  of  six  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  although  only  126  miles  in  length,  connects  lake  Ontario 
with  the  Ottawa  river;  the  La  Chien,  Carrillon,  Blandeau,and  Grenville 
canals,  complete  the  entire  route  to  Montreal.  In  addition  to  these,  a 
canal  is  now  in  progress  of  construction  around  the  rapids  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  which,  when  completed,  will  open  a  direct  ship  communica- 
tion with  the  mother  country.  It  requires  no  stretch  of  fancy,  nor  can 
it  be  said  to  be  a  visionary  speculation,  to  look  forward  to  the  no  distant 
period  when  the  ports  of  Oswego,  Lewiston,  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  De- 
troit, and  Chicago,  will  be  studded  with  the  canvass  of  the  ships  of  for- 
eign nations  laden  with  the  rich  productions  of  Asia  and  Europe. 

It  is  well  established,  both  by  theory  and  experiment,  that  in  canal 
navigation  the  expense  of  transportation  is  in  the  inverse  ratio  of  the 
size  of  the  vessel  in  which  the  commodity  is  transported  ;  therefore,  in 
the  construction  of  canals,  it  is  desirable,  in  point  of  economy,  to  give 
them  that  width  and  depth  which  will  enable  them  to  float  the  largest 
class  of  vessels.  Byway  of  illustrating  this  proposition,  a  statistical 
account  of  the  comparative  expense  of  transportation  from  the  city  of 
New  York  to  Detroit,  by  the  way  of  Oswego  and  the  Welland  canal,  and 


I 


10  [  Sep.  No.  4(38.  ] 

by  the  way  of  the  canal  through  Buffalo,  is  appended.  The  Oswego  route 
substitutes  the  lake  vessels  instead  of  canal  boats,  and  cuts  off  about  two 
hundred  miles  of  the  Erie  canal.  From  an  estimate  before  the  com- 
mittee, it  appears  that  in  1835  about  25,000  tons  of  merchandise  was 
shipped  from  the  city  of  New  York  west,  passing  through  the  ports  of 
Oswego  and  Buffalo,  four-fifths  passing  the  latter  place.  "  Had  the 
whole  of  this  passed  either  port,  it  is  ascertained  that  the  different  rates 
charged  from  the  different  ports  would  have  left  the  result  in  favor  of 
the  port  of  Oswego,  as  follows  : 

Freight  of  25,000  tons  via  Buffalo,       -  -  -  $600,000 

Freight  of  25,000  tons  via  Oswego,      -  -  -  335,000 

Amount  saved  by  the  Oswego  route,  -  $265,000 
in  the  transportation  of  merchandise  from  New  York  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  in  one  year." 

The  cost  of  construction  of  this  splendid  work  will  vary  from  two  to 
four  millions  of  dollars,  according  to  its  location  and  extent ;  a  sum  com- 
paratively of  small  amount  when  the  immense  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  this  great  enterprise  are  taken  into  consideration.  It  is  confidently 
believed  that  it  would  save  to  the  western  States  annuallv,  on  the  trans- 
portation  of  merchandise  alone,  full  half  its  cost,  and  operate  most  bene- 
ficially in  enhancing  the  value  of  public  and  private  lands.  In  the  man- 
ner of  constructing  this  canal,  the  committee  have  adopted  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  Hon.  John  C.  Calhoun,  while  Secretary  of  War,  leav- 
ing its  execution  to  the  War  Department,  under  the  direction  of  the 
President,  from  whose  report  the  following  extract  is  taken : 

"  Should  Congress  think  proper  to  commence  a  system  of  roads  and 
canals,  for  the  more  complete  defence  of  the  United  States,  the  disburse- 
ments of  the  sums  appropriated  for  this  purpose  might  be  made  by  the 
Department  of  War,  under  the  direction  of  the  President.  When  incor- 
porated companies  are  already  formed,  or  the  road  commenced  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  State,  it  would  be,  perhaps,  advisable  to  direct  a 
subscription  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  on  such  terms  and  condi- 
tions as  might  be  thought  proper.  In  other  cases,  and  when  the  army 
cannot  be  made  to  execute  it,  the  work  ought  to  be  done  by  contract,  under 
the  superintendence  and  inspection  of  officers  of  the  engineer  corps,  to 
be  detailed  for  that  purpose." 

As  to  the  plan  and  contemplated  dimensions  of  the  proposed  work,  the 
committee  again  refer  to  the  report  of  Captain  Williams,  upon  the  files  of 
the  House. 

Influenced  by  the  foregoing  considerations,  as  well  as  by  many  others 
which  have  been  suggested  to  the  committee,  they  concwr  in  the  fre- 
quent recommendations  of  this  project,  and  therefore  respectfully  ask 
leave  to  introduce  a  bill. 


A. 

War  Department,  April  14,  1836. 
Sir  :  I  transmit,  herewith,  a  report  of  the  Topographical  Bureau,  pre- 
pared in  obedience  to  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 


r  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


11 


3d  ultimo,  calling  for  information  respecting  the  cons.truction  of  a  ship 
canal,  to  connect  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Ontario. 

Very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

LEWIS  CASS. 

Hon.  James  K.  Polk, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


Topographical  Bureau, 

Washington,  April  13,  1836. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit,  herewith,  a  copy  of  the  report,  plan, 
and  estimates  for  the  construction  of  a  ship  canal,  to  connect  the  waters 
of  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Ontario,  made  during  the  year  1835,  under  the 
direction  of  Captain  W.  G.  Williams,  United  States  topographical  engi- 
neer, and  called  for  by  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  3d  of  February  last. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant. 

JOHN  J.  ABERT, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Topographical  Engineers. 
Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  Secretary  of  War. 


Report  of  a  survey  around  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  with  a  view  to  the  con- 
struction of  a  ship  canal,  made  during  the  year  1835,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Captain  W.  G.  Williams,  of  the  United  States  topographical 
engineers. 

Washington,  March  17,  1836. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  J.  Abert, 

United  States  Topographical  Engineer  : 

Sir  :  By  the  letter  from  the  Topographical  Bureau,  under  date  of  the 
14th  of  April,  1835, 1  was  ordered  to  repair  to  Utica,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  advise  with  the  Honorable  Mr.  Beardsley  on  the  subject  of  a 
projected  ship  canal  around  the  falls  of  Niagara ;  for  a  survey  of  which, 
application  had  been  made  to  the  Department  by  certain  gentlemen  of  in- 
fluence in  the  State  of  New  York. 

Lieutenants  Drayton  and  Reed  having  reported  to  me  according  to  in- 
structions, with  the  instruments  necessary  to  accomplish  the  objects  of 
the  survey,  I  immediately  commenced  operations  ;  the  details  of  which, 
with  results,  and  all  that  relate  thereto,  are  embraced  in  the  following 
report : 

In  order  that  the  mind  may  be  more  prepared  to  comprehend,  at  a 
glance,  the  various  details  in  regard  to  several  lines  of  survey  therein  re- 
ferred to,  I  think  it  proper  to  premise  a  cursory  topographical  sketch  of 
the  vicinity  in  which  our  operations' were  conducted. 

Topographical  sketch. 

The  section  of  country  to  which  the  project  of  the  Niagara  ship  canal 
relates,  is  perhaps  the  most  interesting  on  the  American  continent,  whe- 


12 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


ther  we  consider  its  geological  formation,  the  incidents  of  a  frontier  war, 
still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  every  American,  or  its  peculiar  and  magnif- 
icent characteristic,  the  cataract,  whose  fame  has  reached  the  uttermost 
bounds  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  great  waters  of  our  northwestern  possessions,  covering  an  area  of 
150,000  square  miles,  bounded  by  a  development  of  coast,  belonging  to 
the  United  States,  of  3,294  miles,  and  of  the  British  colonial  possessions, 
of  2,425  miles,  are  at  length  discharged  through  the  narrow  channel  of 
the  Niagara.  It  is  from  the  head  of  this  river,  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Erie, 
to  its  termination  on  Lake  Ontario,  that  the  question  of  an  artificial  navi- 
gation arises,  and  forms  the  subject  of  the  present  report ;  and,  if  only  to 
achieve  a  conquest  over  the  mightiest  of  nature's  works  involves  a  senti- 
ment of  sublimity,  the  feeling  will  not  be  impaired  by  the  reflection  that 
the  conquest  may  be  easily  wrought;  and,  when  achieved,  shall  be  the 
means  of  extending  civilization,  and  promoting  the  social  happiness  of  a 
large  proportion  of  our  country. 

Indeed,  it  cannot  fail  to  excite  astonishment,  when  the  reflection  is 
once  led  to  the  subject,  that,  up  to  this  epoch  of  an  age  resplendent  with 
improvements  in  all  that  relates  to  the  melioration  of  commerce  and  the 
advancement  of  civilization,  this  work,  upon  our  own  soil,  and  on  a  scale 
commensurate  with  its  importance,  should  still  remain  to  be  executed. 
It  needs  not  the  aid  of  demonstration  to  prove  its  utility.  It  is  one  of 
those  objects  that  strike  us  with  instinctive  conviction,  and  we  are  in- 
tuitively impelled  to  the  belief  of  its  comprehensive  usefulness,  even  if 
abstraction  be  made  of  every  thing  but  the  general  position  ;  that  it  would 
connect  two  bodies  of  water,  leading  to  the  most  remote  regions,  and 
capable  of  bearing  upon  their  deep  and  expansive  bosoms  the  navies  of 
the  wrorld,  in  five  seas,  which  are  yet  essentially  separated,  by  reference 
to  the  scale  of  commercial  enterprise  that  legitimately  belongs  to  such  a 
vast  extent  of  geographical  limit. 

The  Niagara  river  flows  out  of  Lake  Erie,  in  a  direction  nearly  north, 
and  separates  in  its  whole  course  the  United  States  from  the  Canadian 
provinces.  It  is  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  wide,  at  its  outlet ;  be- 
tween which  and  Black  Rock  there  are  rapids  having  a  current  for  a 
short  distance  of  seven  miles  an  hour.  The  river  widens  below  Black 
Rock,  and  continues  of  an  average  width  of  one  mile,  until  it  reaches  the 
great  falls.  The  river  embraces  several  islands  in  its  course,  the  princi- 
pal of  which  is  Grand  island  ;  the  rapids  commence  about  one  mile  above 
the  falls,  in  which  distance  is  a  descent  of  about  fifty-two  feet.  The 
great  falls  are  divided  by  Goat  island,  and  another  small  island  interme- 
diate to  this  and  the  American  shore.  The  perpendicular  descent  is  164 
feet  on  the  Canada  side,  and  a  few  feet  more  on  the  American  ;  but  the 
great  mass  of  water  passes  over  the  Horse-shoe  falls  on  the  Canada  side. 
It  has  been  estimated  by  Dr.  D  wight,  that  the  volume  of  water  descending 
at  this  point  amounts  to  90,000,000  tons  per  hour. 

The  development  of  the  curve  formed  by  the  edge  of  the  precipice  is 
estimated  between  three-fourths  of  a  mile  and  one  mile.  The  distance 
from  the  outlet  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  great  falls  is  about  twenty-two  miles. 
From  this  point  to  Lewiston,  about  seven  miles,  the  river  rushes  through 
a  chasm  in  the  Lewiston  ridge,  whose  edges  are  about  350  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  water;  the  fall  in  this  distance  is  about  103J  feet,  and 
thence  to  Lake  Ontario  two  feet.    Just  above  Lewiston  the  high  ground 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


13 


suddenly  ceases,  and  a  descent  of  216  feet  occurs  in  a  horizontal  distance 
of  1,000  feet,  measured  on  the  projection  of  the  line  of  greatest  acclivity 
to  the  ridge.  This  brings  us  to  the  plateau  of  land  on  which  the  village 
is  situated ;  hence  a  gradual  slope  characterizes  the  ground  to  the  edge 
of  Lake  Ontario,  about  six  miles,  comprising  a  fall  of  121 J  feet.  The 
features  of  topography  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Niagara  are  very  sim- 
ilar, from  the  crest  of  the  mountain  at  Queenstown  heights  to  the  lake. 

The  ridge  appears  to  have  been  formerly  continuous,  and  to  have 
formed  the  southern  edge  of  Lake  Ontario,  from  which  the  waters  have, 
at  distant  intervals,  receded.  This  is  shown  by  three  distinct  berms, 
generally  parallel  to  the  shores  of  the  lake,  but  which  eventually 
converge  towards  the  Niagara  river,  between  Lewiston  and  Fort  Ni- 
agara. 

It  is  evident,  also,  from  the  conformation  of  ground  both  at  the  falls  and 
about  Lewiston,  that  the  waters  of  the  upper  lakes  first  burst  their  barriers 
at  this  point,  and  have  since  receded  by  degrees,  breaking  off  large  frag- 
ments from  the  edge  of  the  precipice  over  which  they  have  fallen.  Even 
within  the  memory  of  man,  it  is  asserted  that  a  sensible  difference  exists 
in  its  configuration  ;  and  the  fall  of  the  Table  rock,  in  the  years  1818 
and  1828,  may  be  regarded  as  an  illustration  of  the  process  by  which 
this  change  is  being  gradually  effected.  If  we  may  be  allowed  to  specu- 
late on  the  changes  of  a  remote  future,  we  may  imagine  prospective 
eyes  to  witness  a  gradual  recession  of  the  cataract  towards  the  lake  ;  the 
crest  over  which  it  falls,  assuming  a  lower  plane,  until  it  eventually 
sinks  to,  and  becomes  an  element  of,  a  general  slope,  over  which  the 
great  volume  of  the  upper  lakes  shall  flow.  The  waters  of  Lake  Erie 
would  recede  from  their  existing  limits,  and  their  intermediate  future 
outlines  would  be  only  indicated  by  successive  berms,  converging  to- 
wards the  outlet  of  the  Niagara.  This  convergency  of  the  several 
berms  to  the  Niagara  river,  on  the  southern  shore  of  Ontario,  is,  I  think, 
a  conclusive  evidence  that  |his  lake  once  occupied  a  higher  level,  and 
and  at  different  periods  has  occupied  different  elevations.  In  tracing 
these  changes,  we  are  insensibly  led  to  the  conclusion,  from  analogous 
reasoning^  that  the  levels  of  the  whole  chain  of  lakes  will  eventually  and 
successively  change  ;  that  the  St.  Lawrence  river  may,  in  remote  ages, 
have  possessed  a  peculiarity  similar  to  that  which  characterizes  the 
Niagara  ;  and  that  a  point  of  time  may  exist  in  the  vista  of  futurity, 
when  the  strait  between  Erie  and  Huron,  and  finally  between  Huron 
and  Superior,  may  boast  a  like  phenomenon.  In  a  word,  that  this  will,  at 
length,  be  worn  away  by  the  irresistible  waters,  and  Superior  find  its  way 
over  one  continuous  and  inclined  plane  to  the  broad  bosom  of  the  Atlan- 
tic. At  the  outlet  of  the  Niagara,  at  the  northeast  extremity  of  Lake 
Erie,  is  situated  Buffalo.  This  city,  which  a  few  years  since  might 
have  been  regarded  as  an  insignificant  village,  has  now  become  the 
principal  emporium  of  the  northwestern  lakes,  and  cannot  fail  to  retain 
its  ascendancy  over  any  other  point  upon  the  lake.  Here  the  Hudson  and 
Erie  canal,  which  has  been  the  source  of  its  prosperity,  has  its  outlet. 
The  growth  of  Buffalo  is  an  illustration  of  the  advantages  of  this  project, 
that  every  comprehension  may  realize.  When  we  see  a  flourishing  and 
refined  community  spring  suddenly  from  the  wilderness,  we  are  made 
sensible,  without  reference  to  statistical  records,  of  the  amelioration  that 


14 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


must  be  operating  in  a  vast  extent  of  country  dependent  upon  it.  It  is 
a  monument  to  art  and  commerce,  that  eloquently  speaks  of  extended 
social  happiness,  of  fields  reclaimed  from  the  desert,  of  industry  and 
talent  usefully  employed,  and  of  a  thousand  undefinable  benefits  to  the 
human  race. 

The  Hudson  and  Erie  canal  is  conducted  from  Buffalo,  along  the  mar- 
gin of  the  Niagara  river,  to  its  intersection  with  the  Tonnewanta  creek, 
a  little  above  its  mouth,  the  creek  being  raised  to  the  necessary  level  by 
means  of  a  dam.  The  channel  of  the  Tonnewanta  is  made  use  of  during 
a  distance  of  eleven  miles,  to  Pendleton  village  ;  thence  to  Lockport, 
about  seven  miles,  the  canal  passes  through  deep  cutting.  At  Lockport 
a  fall  of  sixty  feet  occurs,  which  is  overcome  by  five  double  consecu- 
tive locks  to  the  long  level ;  from  this  point  it  proceeds  in  an  easter- 
ly direction  to  Troy  and  Albany,  where  it  debouches  into  the  Hudson 
river.  From  Lockport,  the  line  upon  which  a  portion  of  our  survey  w7as 
conducted  diverges  northwardly  to  its  termination  at  the  mouth  of  Eigh- 
teen-mile creek. 

The  great  descent  at  Lockport  is  occasioned  by  the  Lewiston  ridge, 
which  intersects  the  canal  at  this  point.  This  steep  declivity  runs  from 
the  Niagara  river,  above  Lewiston,  to  Lockport,  without  any  interme- 
diate depression  worthy  of  notice.  It  continues  its  course  thence  in  a 
direction  nearly  parallel  to  the  lake. 

The  ridge,  as  it  becomes  more  remote  from  the  Niagara  river,  gene- 
rally becomes  more  elevated,  to  the  limits  to  which  my  survey  extend- 
ed. The  whole  of  this  district  of  country  is  based  upon  nearly  horizon- 
tal strata  of  lime  and  sand  stone  alternating  ;  this  exhibits  itself  most, 
conspicuously  in  the  chasm  through  which  the  Niagara  flows;  although,  it 
must  be  remarked,  that  localities  exhibit  discrepancies  in  regard  to  this 
rule,  and  that,  on  the  line  of  canal  from  Lockport,  west,  there  is  some 
slight  inclination  of  the  strata  beneath  the  horizontal.  The  first  propo- 
sition, however,  holds  as  a  general  geologicaj  feature.  The  slope  below 
the  ridge,  down  to  the  lakes,  appears  to  consist  of  an  alluvial  formation, 
with  a  substratum  of  sand  and  lime  stone.  From  the  foot  of  the  com- 
bined locks  at  Lockport  to  the  mouth  of  the  Eighteen-mile  creek,  which 
has  its  rise  at  this  point,  the  ground  is  very  uneven  ;  at  first  a  considera- 
ble descent  takes  place  through  a  precipitous  gorge  for  about  two  miles  ; 
thence,  a  valley  with  low  banks  on  either  side  for  about  five  miles  and 
a  half ;  the  intermediate  distance  between  this  and  the  mouth  of  the 
creek  would  be  a  work  of  considerable  difficulty,  as  there  is  a  rocky  bar 
which  circumscribes  the  outlet.  From  this  point  to  the  mouth  of  Ni- 
agara river  is  eighteen  miles;  from  which  circumstance  the  creek  de- 
rives its  name. 

From  Fort  Niagara,  at  the  east  side  of  the  outlet  of  Niagara  river  into 
the  lake,  to  the  head  of  navigation,  is  about  lh  miles  ;  the  banks  of  the 
river  in  this  distance  are  high  and  precipitous.  The  river,  from  Lewis- 
ton  to  its  outlet  into  the  lake,  has  a  rapid  current,  but  is  accessible  to  ev- 
ery description  of  vessels  navigating  the  lakes.  This  description  com- 
prises the  area  to  which  my  report  will  refer.  In  its  agricultural  prop- 
erties, it  partakes  of  the  character  of  this  section  of  the  country  general- 
ly, possessing  a  rich  alluminous  soil,  favorable  to  the  growth  of  wheat  and 
every  product  to  which  the  climate  is  congenial  ;  but  there  is  one  point 
of  view  in  which  this  district  offers  advantages  in  a  peculiar  degree  : 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  | 


i5 


namely,  its  manufacturing  facilities.  By  way  of  illustration,  we  may  re- 
gard the  lake  as  being  dammed  by  the  Lewiston  ridge,  presenting  a  head 
of  water  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  feet.  This  may  be  made  available 
at  almost  any  point  of  the  ridge,  and  along  the  margin  of  the  Niagara 
river,  at  a  comparatively  inconsiderable  expense,  by  reference  to  the  hy- 
draulic power  it  would  afford.  My  views  in  this  respect  will  be  further 
elucidated  in  the  course  of  my  report.  I  now  proceed  to  details  immedi- 
ately referring  to  the  plans  and  estimates  of  our  survey. 

Plan  of  canal. 

The  project  under  consideration  contemplates  a  ship  or  steamboat  ca- 
nal ;  and  we  assume,  for  dimensions  of  locks  and  breadth  of  canal,  pro- 
portions to  render  the  work  a  means  of  transportation  for  the  larger  class 
of  steamboats  or  sail  vessels  navigating,  or  that  may  navigate,  Lakes  Erie 
and  Ontario. 

We  assume  for  the  length  of  lock  two  hundred  feet,  breadth  fifty  feet, 
the  width  of  canal  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  at  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and  depth  ten  feet.  The  locks  will  have  a  lift  varying  with  circumstan- 
ces, and  generally  not  exceeding  ten  feet.  It  is  obvious  that  the  waters 
to  supply  the  exigencies  of  lockage,  &c,  will  be  drawn  from  the  Niagara 
river  ;  the  plane  of  the  bottom  of  canal  at  its  summit-level  intersecting  it 
at  ten  feet  below  its  minimum  elevation. 

My  plan  principally  refers  to  a  system  of  double  locks  to  make  the  de- 
scent at  Lewiston  ridge  ;  but  an  estimate  for  single  locks  for  that  object 
is  embraced  in  my  report.  Map  No.  2  will  exhibit,  on  a  horizontal  scale 
of  thirty-six  inches  to  one  mile,  the  descent  by  double  locks,  comprising 
an  artificial  harbor  at  Lewiston. 

From  the  harbor  to  the  outlet  of  canal  on  Niagara  river,  two  modifica- 
tions are  shown  on  the  map  ;  one  terminating  at  the  steamboat  wharf, 
and  the  other  at  the  ferry.  Their  expense  may  be  regarded  in  a  gene- 
ral estimate  as  nearly  alike. 

The  line  A  B,  debouching  at  a  lower  point  of  the  river,  although  of 
greater  development,  would  more  generally  be  approved  of,  as  avoiding 
an  ascent  against  the  current,  for  ascending  vessels,  of  eleven  hundred 
yards. 

I  have  roughly  estimated  also  the  cost  of  a  plan  to  descend  the  ridge 
by  single  locks,  having  an  intermediate  basin  between  each  lock.  It  is 
found  to  be  more  expensive  than  the  descent  by  double  locks,  by  refer- 
ence to  their  respective  properties  of  speedy  transit.  This  arises  from 
the  great  cost  of  the  outer  or  sustaining  wall,  and  the  advantage  to  econ- 
omy of  diminishing  the  length  of  line  in  its  application  to  the  side  slope 
of  the  mountain  ;  as  this  must  be  obvious,  1  have  not  introduced  the  esti- 
mate into  my  report. 

In  regard  to  the  route  of  the  contemplated  canal,  there  have  been  dif- 
ferent opinions  :  and  several  have  been  designated,  having  at  least  as 
much  reference  to  local  interest  as  to  the  general  advantage  of  the  pro- 
ject.   Above  the  rest,  and  such  as  appear  deserving  of  notice,  are  : 

A  line  beginning  at  Porter's  storehouse,  near  old  Fort  Schlosser,  pass- 
ing by  Fort  Grey,  descending  the  ridge  at  that  point,  and  debouching  at 
Lewiston  :  this  is  the  shortest  line  surveyed. 


16 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


A  line  beginning  as  above,  passing  by  Manchester  village,  and  inter- 
secting the  preceding  line  :  this  has  least  deep  cutting. 

A  line  up  the  valley  of  Gill  creek,  descending  the  ridge  through  a  de- 
pression at  the  head  of  Fish  creek,  and  terminating  on  Lake  Ontario,  at 
he  mouth  of  Mill  creek  :  this  location  possesses  advantages  of  a*  military 
character,  by  reference  to  the  contiguity  of  the  shore  of  a  foreign  Power. 

Local  modifications  of  the  above  lines. 

A  line  ascending  the  Cayuga  creek,  crossing  the  Lewiston  ridge  near 
Pekin,  and  debouching  at  the  mouth  of  Twelve-mile  creek. 

A  line  debouching  at  the  mouth  of  Tonnewanta  creek,  ascending  the 
same  to  Pendleton  village,  descending  at  Lockport  into  Eighteen-mile 
creek,  and  keeping  the  valley  to  its  mouth. 

For  the  present,  however,  we  shall  confine  ourselves  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  project  by  its  shortest  route,  and  eventually  compare  it  with 
others  to  be  hereafter  referred  to. 

General  description  of  route  line  No.  1 . 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  the  Niagara  river  denominated  Porter's  store- 
house, and  near  old  Fort  Schlosser,  the  line  of  levels  crosses  Gill  creek 
at  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  above  its  mouth,  and  is  carried  nearly  in  a 
straight  line  to  the  head  of  Bloody  run  ;  the  ground  over  which  they  pass, 
after  the  first  mile,  is  generally  swampy,  although  somewhat  elevated  ; 
and  for  the  first  four  miles,  as  determined  by  careful  borings,  no  rock 
worthy  of  mention  will  occur,  excepting  a  small  portion  at  Gill  creek ; 
the  soil  is,  however,  by  no  means  easy  of  excavation,  being,  as  illustrated 
by  the  profiles,  in  some  parts  of  a  tenacious  character  ;  the  ground  is 
3wampy,  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  and  will  require  drain- 
ing. 

From  this  point,  the  valley  of  Bloody  run  is  pursued  to  within  a  short 
distance  of  the  point  where  the  run  falls  over  the  precipice  into  the  Ni- 
agara river,  at  a  small  distance  from  the  chasm  known  as  the  Devil's  hole, 
three  and  a  half  miles  below  the  great  falls. 

The  levels  now  pass  over  unequal  ground,  but  slightly  elevated,  how- 
ever, until  they  reach  the  brow  of  the  Lewiston  ridge.  This  portion  of 
the  line  was  run  very  near  the  precipitous  brink  of  the  Niagara  river, 
and  only  involves  a  prism  of  rock  cutting  of  inconsiderable  depth. 

Until  we  arrive  at  Fort  Grey,  no  obstacle  of  importance  intervenes  ; 
indeed,  none  but  the  most  commonplace  circumstances  of  canal  construc- 
tion present  themselves.  It  is  from  this  point  to  the  debouch  of  the  pro- 
ject into  the  Niagara  river  that  difficulties  of  a  serious  character  may  be 
apprehended. 

From  the  brow  of  the  ridge  the  lines  of  level  were  carried  obliquely 
to  the  line  of  greatest  acclivity  of  the  ascent,  falling  in  such  proportion 
to  the  measured  horizontal  distance,  as  to  render  them  conformable  to 
the  projected  dimensions  of  the  locks  and  basins,  with  the  required  lift 
for  each  lock.  These  data  furnish  the  means  of  projecting  a  flight  of 
double  consecutive  locks  to  the  foot  of  the  ridge,  or  a  line  of  single  locks, 
with  intermediate  basins;  involving,  in  either  case,  a  descent  of  319$ 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


17 


feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  ca^al  at  Fort  Grey,  to  the  corresponding  sur- 
face at  its  intersection,  ten  f  jt  below  the  surface  in  Niagara  river. 

As  the  slope  of  the  mountain  may,  in  a  general  view,  be  regarded  as 
uniform,  and  under  an  angle  too  great  to  admit  of  the  location  of  the 
locks  on  a  line  approximating  to  that  of  greatest  acclivity,  it  would  be 
necessary,  by  means  of  excavation  and  embankment,  to  prepare  a  berm 
for  their  reception. 

Our  supposition  involves  a  heavy  mass  of  side-cutting,  so  as  to  estab- 
lish the  exterior  walls  of  the  locks  upon  a  weli-consolidated  foundation  ; 
by  this  means,  the  whole  section  of  the  locks  and  basins  would  possess  a 
homogenous  basis,  and  have  their  stability  ensured. 

This  excavation  comprehends  the  space  to  be  occupied  by  the  sustain- 
ing and  inferior  walls ;  and  in  case  the  double  locks  should  have  their 
similar  surfaces  in  the  same  horizontal  plane,  the  breadth  of  their  divi- 
ding-walls would  be  comprised  in  the  section. 

In  estimating  the  width  of  the  berm  necessary  to  the  emplacement  of 
the  locks,  we  must  regard  as  elements  the  strength  and  solidity  or  thick- 
ness necessary  to  their  walls,  to  prevent  lateral  slides,  or  their  overthrow 
by  the  pressure  of  water  against  them  from  within  ;  and  the  space  neces- 
sary to  the  working  of  the  locks,  which  must  of  course  occupy  the  upper 
surface  of  the  wails.  Precautions  must  be  observed,  to  destroy  the  possi- 
bility of  a  thread  of  water  from  leakage  or  filtration,  wearing  itself  a  pas- 
sage beneath  the  locks,  throughout  portions  of  the  descent,  and  thereby 
acquiring  sufficient  head  to  act  upon  the  foundations.  In  a  system  of 
consecutive  locks  of  such  extent  as  that  before  us,  thus  principle  of  hy- 
drostatics should  be  well  considered. 

Too  much  care  cannot  be  observed  in  establishing  the  permanence  and 
solidity  of  the  work ;  and  every  applicable  element  of  knowledge,  theo- 
retical as  well  as  practical,  must  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  subject, 
previously  to  a  final  adjustment  of  the  plans. 

In  regard  to  experience,  the  realm  of  practical  science  does  not  exhibit 
a  similar  construction,  and  its  light  will  therefore  be  but  partially  displaj7- 
ed.  To  compensate  for  this  deficiency,  abstract  and  general  propositions 
of  physical  research  must  be  carefully  investigated,  in  reference  to  sucli 
modifications  as  may  be  involved,  differing  from  those  of  works  of  a  simi- 
lar character  already  constructed. 

This  is  a  remark,  it  is  true,  that  may  be  applied  to  every  new  project 
in  some  degree,  but  its  emphasis  is  peculiar  in  regard  to  the  one  in  ques- 
tion :  in  ordinary  cases,  great  masses  of  water  find  their  way  to  lower 
levels,  by  gradual  descent;  and  the  plans  of  the  engineer  to  surmount 
such  obstacles  have  followed  them  up  and  vanquished  them  in  detail. 
But  at  Niagara,  Nature  has  concentrated  her  powers,  and  by  one  stupen- 
dous effort  has  seemed  to  bid  defiance  to  the  art  of  man.  The  records  of 
science  do  not  exhibit  an  instance  in  which  so  great  a  fall  is  overcome 
in  so  small  a  distance,  not  even  in  a  degree  that  will  admit  of  comparison, 
much  less  when  it  is  a  question  of  a  project  which,  in  the  grandeur  oi  its 
proportions,  has  no  example. 

It  may  be  regarded  as  a  national  monument  of  ait,  from  its  general 
usefulness  to  the  country;  and  although  no  pains  be  taken  to  r&titfer  the 
project  magnificent,  in  its  very  simplicity  it  will  be  so,  and  in  congeniali- 
ty with  the  stupendous  obstacle  it  is  intended  to  subdue. 
*  2 


18 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


Its  effect  will  be  grand  and  imposing  in  a  vastly  greater  degree  than 
in  other,  even  more  expensive  works ;  because  it  differs  from  them  gen- 
erally in  possessing  a  concentration  of  human  art,  human  industry,  and 
physical  means,  applied  to  a  single  point. 

As  the  line  of  levels  descends  to  the  foot  of  the  ridge,  it  gradually 
winds  round  until  its  horizontal  projection  becomes  nearly  parallel  to  its 
location  at  the  beginning  of  the  descent. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  direction  which  leads  it  to  the  most  favorable 
point  of  debouche  on  the  Niagara  river,  for  the  present  modification  of  our 
project  I  have  planned  a  basin  allowing  sufficient  room  for  the  largest 
vessel  admissible  to  the  locks  to  turn  and  assume  its  change  of  course. 
At  this  point  the  flight  of  locks  would  terminate  in  an  extensive  artificial 
harbor,  comprising  an  area  of  about  114  acres,  and  elevated  120  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  Niagara  river  ;  it  will  be  formed  between  the 
ridge  on  which  the  principal  street  of  Lewiston  is  situated  and  the  main 
ridge,  possessing  a  mean  depth  of  fourteen  feet.  The  embankment 
necessary  to  back  the  water  would  be  very  inconsiderable. 

It  is  an  element  forming  a  very  important  feature  in  our  project,  and 
would  have  the  advantage  of  serving  as  a  part  of  the  canal,  obviate  a 
mass  of  expensive  construction,  and  at  the  same  time  afford  very  essential 
accommodation  to  trade  ;  indeed,  a  basin  of  this  kind  would  be  almost 
necessary,  by  reference  to  the  very  contracted  space  which  can  be  made 
available  for  the  purpose  of  commercial  transactions  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
debouche,  in  connexion  with  the  precipitous  banks  of  the  river  and  the 
violence  of  the  current ;  moreover,  the  prism  of  water  drawn  from  this 
reservoir,  to  supply  the  descent  of  the  locks  to  the  termination  of  the  pro- 
ject, would  be  scarcely  perceptible.  This  would  render  the  descent  from 
the  harbor  to  the  outlet  independent,  for  its  immediate  exigencies,  of  the 
supply  of  water  to  be  drawn  through  the  upper  flight  of  locks  from  the 
summit-level  of  the  project. 

At  both  extremities  of  the  line  above  described,  there  is  a  navigable 
passage  for  vessels  drawing  even  more  than  ten  feet  water  into  the  lakes, 
namely,  from  Porter's  store-house  into  lake  Erie,  and  from  Lewiston 
to  lake  Ontario. 

To  confirm  the  assurance  of  this  fact,  I  ordered  a  reconnoissance  be- 
tween Schlosser's  and  the  outlet  to  lake  Erie.  Numerous  soundings 
were  taken  by  Lieutenant  Drayton,  from  whose  report  I  find  there  is  no 
depth  in  the  channel  less  than  fourteen  feet. 

It  is  a  matter  of  notoriety  that  there  is  water  at  the  outlet  of  Niagara 
into  lake  Ontario  for  vessels  of  any  ordinary  capacity.  It  was  therefore 
deemed  unnecessary  to  carry  the  investigation  to  that  point. 

On  the  whole  extent  of  this  route  may  be  procured  fine  building  mate- 
rials for  the  locks,  of  every  description  :  limestone  is  found  in  abundance, 
and  hydraulic  cement  may  be  procured  at  a  low  rate. 

These  facts  being  premised,  I  proceed  to  the  estimative  details. 

Line  No.  1. — (See  map  and  profile.) 

For  the  purpose  of  draining  the  canal  when  necessary  for  repairing  it, 
and  because  there  is  a  rise  and  fall,  dependent  upon  winds  and  seasons, 
in  the  Niagara  river,  a  guard  and  regulating  lock  at  the  outlet  of  the  ca- 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


19 


nal  is  deemed  expedient.  Our  observations  during  the  time  the  survey 
was  executing  only  detected  a  difference  of  level  of  five  inches.  By 
information,  however,  obtained  on  the  ground,  it  appears  to  be  con- 
siderably greater  ;  and,  according  to  the  statement  of  Mr.  Geddes,  an  en- 
gineer well  acquainted  with  the  topographical  facts  connected  with  this 
section  of  the  country,  it  varies  to  the  amount  of  three  feet,  rising  during 
the  prevalence  of  certain  violent  winds,  but  seldom  being  depressed 
below  the  ordinary  surface.  Our  levels  refer  to  the  low7est  observed 
plane  of  its  surface,  at  a  time  when  the  level  is  stated  to  have  been  at  a 
minimum. 

The  lock-walls,  therefore,  must  be  elevated  four  feet  above  the  mini- 
mum level  of  the  river.  They  will  have  a  thickness  of  four  feet  at  top, 
and  eight  feet  at  the  base.  The  dividing-wall  of  lock  will  have  a  thick- 
ness of  twelve  feet.    The  estimate  is  as  follows  : 

6,1 50. S  cubic  yards  of  masonry  for  side-walls,  bottom  of  lock, 

&c,  at  5.5  *  -  -  -  -  -  $33,829  40 

For  mitre-sills,  hollowT  quoins,  at  14.2         ...  8,657  00 

Lock-gates,  with  incidental  w  ork     -  1,500  00 

200  running  feet  of  walling  in  river,  444  cubic  yaids,  at  2.5  -  1,110  00 

Coffer-dam,  to  protect  the  foundation  of  the  lock     -          -  6,666  00 

Contingencies        -  5,176  24 

Total  $56,938  64 

The  plan  to  which  this  estimate  refers  is  an  element  common  to  all  the 
experimental  lines  diverging  from  Porter's  store  house,  and  will  be  car- 
ried into  the  expenses  of  each.  It  embraces  the  idea  of  double  locks, 
with  such  additional  work  as  may  contribute  to  a  reasonable  accommoda- 
tion to  trade.  At  a  termination  of  this  kind,  many  expensive  additions 
may  be  suggested,  not  absolutely  necessary  to  the  primary  object  of  the 
undertaking. 


B. 

Comparison  of  routes. 

The  annexed  summary  of  cost,  applied  to  its  respective  experimental 
location,  in  connexion  with  the  statement  in  regard  to  distances,  enables 
the  mind  to  form,  at  a  glance,  the  comparison  between  them,  by  reference 
to  these  elements.  But  in  order  that  a  judicious  selection  may  be  made, 
other  considerations  necessarily  become  involved  in  the  question  ;  and 
these,  in  a  great  measure,  furnish  the  medium  through  which  their  prop- 
erties are  to  be  adjudged. 

As  a  commercial  scheme  exclusively,  with  the  most  rigorous  economy 
as  the  governing  principle,  even  to  the  prejudice  of  convenience  of 
trade,  and  barely  to  effect  the  object  of  connexion  between  the  lakes 
for  a  large  class  of  vessels,  the  first  plan  referred  to  in  the  annexed 
statement  would  of  course  be  adopted. 

If  this  scheme,  however,  involved  the  idea  of  an  expenditure  propor- 
tionate to  the  character  of  the  enterprise,  and  importance  of  the  results 


20  [  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


that  may  be  justly  ascribed  to  it,  we  would,  without  hesitation,  recom- 
mend the  second,  namely,  the  descent  by  double  locks  ;  for  it  is  evident 
that  in  the  first  proposition  a  great  delay  would  frequently  occur  in  the 
passage  of  vessels — an  evil  that  would  accumulate  with  the  increase  of 
trade,  and  result  eventually  in  the  necessity  of  constructing  another  inde- 
pendent flight  of  locks.  This,  by  a  comparison  of  estimates,  is  shown  to 
be  inexpedient. 

But  when  the  question  passes  beyond  the  limit  of  commercial  opera- 
tions merely,  and  enters  the  sphere  of  political  expediency,  new  consid- 
erations are  involved,  tending,  very  generally,  to  embarrass  a  decision. 
It  was  this  reflection  that  induced  me  to  survey  the  line  No.  2,  as  I  have 
already  explained,  in  presenting  the  estimate  of  its  expense.  In  doing 
so,  moreover,  I,  peihaps,  have  said  all  that  is  necessary,  in  regard  to  its 
advantage  over  the  preceding  line  No.  1,  and  its  modification. 

In  discussing  the  merits  of  the  modification  to  line  No.  2,  the  question 
is  resolved  into  the  following  proposition  :  whether  it  be  desirable  to 
expend  an  additional  million  of  dollars,  as  a  measure  of  precaution,  to 
enable  the  work  to  reach  a  point  E,  (map  No.  1,)  whence  it  could  easily 
be  conducted,  in  case  it  should  be  deemed  advisable,  to  the  lower  lake, 
and  be,  in  its  whole  development,  without  the  pale  of  annoyance  from 
an  enemy.  It  is  for  those  who  should  determine  to  execute  the  work  to 
judge  of  this  expediency. 

We  would  call  the  attention,  however,  to  the  character  of  permanence 
and  durability  that  must  belong  to  such  a  project,  and  suggest  that  the 
future  interests  of  the  country  are  to  be,  in  a  measure,  dependent  upon 
it  and  that  it  would  prove  a  humiliating  and  grievous  reflection  to  after- 
times,  should  the  work  be  suddenly  neutralized  in  its  advantages,  at  the 
very  moment  when  its  facilities  ought  to  be  most  sensibly  useful  to  the 
nation. 

To  develop  all  the  considerations  involved  in  this  comparison  would 
exact  more  time  than  I  am  permitted  to  devote  to  it.  It  is  sufficient  to 
show  that  a  route  possessing  the  property  of  security  from  insult  is  prac- 
ticable, and  at  a  reasonable  cost  to  the  nation. 

But  the  comparison  between  the  Lockport  route,  and  the  one  I  have 
just  alluded  to,  may  be  referred  to  the  common  standard  of  military  ex- 
pediency. 

It  is  seen,  by  reference  to  the  foregoing  statement  of  costs  and  lengths 
of  location,  that  the  route  by  line  No.  2  has  the  advantage,  in  point  of 
economy,  to  the  amount  of  $296,743  over  that  by  Lockport.  We  see, 
likewise,  by  reference  to  this  statement,  and  the  respective  maps  accom- 
panying my  report,  that  it  possesses  the  advantage  of  being  a  shorter 
and  less  embarrassed  line  of  communication. 

Its  supposed  advantages  have  been  predicated  upon  the  belief  that  it 
offered  a  more  retired  line  of  communication  from  foreign  aggression; 
and  this  is  a  maxim  that  ought  not  to  be  overlooked  :  but  in  the  present 
instance  it  admits  of  modification,  owing  to  the  peculiar  features  of 
topography  characterizing  the  vicinity  to  this  portion  of  the  line  of  con- 
tact of  the  two  countries. 

By  reference  to  the  map,  it  will  be  seen  that  from  Porter's  store-house 
to  the  end  of  line  No.  2,  on  lake  Ontario,  our  shores  are  precipitous,  and 
offer  "a  difficult  barrier  in  any  part  to  the  landing  of  a  hostile  force ;  and 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  J 


21 


that  with  the  precaution  growing  out,  as  it  were,  of  the  project,  should  it 
be  executed,  as  explained  in  the  accompanying  memoir,  the  line  would 
be  rendered  inaccessible. 

We  are  impressed  with  the  belief  that  we  should  avail  ourselves  of  the 
topography  of  the  frontier,  and,  regarding  the  Niagara  river,  from  Porter's 
store-house  to  lake  Ontario  as  a  natural  entrenchment,  concentrate  our 
resources  there,  as  furnishing  the  strongest  accessorial  advantages  to  resist 
invasion,  and  at  the  same  time  enable  us  promptly  to  assume  the  attitude 
of  aggression  under  auspicious  circumstances,  and  to  the  achievement  of 
the  most  important  results. 

By  retiring  the  line,  Ave  abandon,  in  a  measure,  our  strong  ground  of 
resistance,  and  throw  it  from  beneath  the  shelter  of  our  military  establish- 
ment already  constructed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  river,  by  which 
the  debouche  of  line  No.  2  would  be  sustained. 

It  is  seen,  also,  in  comparing  the  two  routes,  that  one  portion  of  naviga- 
tion would  be  common  between  them,  namely,  that  between  lake  Erie 
and  the  mouth  of  Tonnewanta  creek  ;  and  this  portion  is  unquestiona- 
bly the  most  accessible  part  of  the  line  to  a  hostile  descent  from  the  oppo- 
site shore. 

In  addition  to  these  considerations,  the  project  of  line  No.  2  supposes 
an  excellent  harbor  at  its  termination  on  lake  Ontario,  while  that  pro- 
jected at  the  mouth  of  the  Eighteen-mile  creek  is  comparatively  ineffi- 
cient ;  observing,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  rocky  bar  circumscribing  its 
mouth  must  ever  prove  an  obstacle  to  its  improvement. 

Moreover,  the  contiguity  of  the  inlet  of  the  Niagara  river  to  the  mouth 
of  Four-mile  creek,  our  projected  termination,  is  a  great  desideratum,  as 
vessels  in  stress  of  weather  may  run,  without  apprehension,  for  the  harbor 
there,  in  the  assurance  that,  in  case  of  difficulty  to  effect  an  entrance,  they 
will  be  at  least  in  the  vicinity  of  a  harbor  of  easy  access,  where  they  may 
take  refuge  until  more  seasonable  weather. 

It  must  be  noticed, in  regard  to  this  subject,  that  any  artificial  harbor  on 
this  shore  of  the  lake  would  be  difficult  of  access  in  very  heavy  storms, 
owing  to  the  danger  of  concussion  against  the  sides  of  the  piers  ;  an  in- 
convenience I  have  often  noticed  at  the  celebrated  artificial  harbor  of 
Ramsgate,  in  Kent,  England. 

Superadded  to  the  objections  already  stated,  in  regard  to  the  route  by 
Lockport,  there  is  one  important  circumstance  in  the  inconvenience  and 
delay  that  the  navigation  on  the  present  Erie  canal  would  be  subjected  to, 
and  we  think  that  the  loss  sustained  by  it  would  scarcely  be  compensated 
by  the  diminution  in  the  expense  of  our  estimate,  by  the  deduction  we 
have  made,  in  the  assumption  that  the  excavation  for  our  present  project 
would  be  diminished  by  the  amount  of  that  already  executed  for  the  Erie 
canal. 

In  the  supposition  of  an  entire  new  location,  the  estimate  would,  of 
course,  be  greatly  augmented,  and  the  difference  of  cost  in  favor  of  line 
No.  2  proportionably  increased. 

It  is  to  be  noticed  in  the  line  No.  2,  that  a  portion  of  its  development 
has  a  diminished  breadth.  This  advantage,  for  the  economy  of  excavation, 
could  not  be  adopted  on  the  Lockport  route.  In  the  first  case,  business 
would  be  divided  between  the  two  canals ;  but  in  the  other,  it  would 
necessarily  be  concentrated,  and  embarrass  the  operations  of  trade,  unless 
it  should  possess  a  breadth  equal  to  that  we  have  projected. 


22 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


In  order  to  fully  prepare  the  undertaking  for  the  contingency  of  a  rup- 
ture with  our  Canada  neighbors,  it  would  be  necessary  to  pass  the  rapids 
of  Black  Rock  by  a  short  cut  and  a  few  feet  of  lockage  on  the  American 
shore.  As  the  channel  of  the  Niagara  river  is,  in  this  part,  on  the  Canada 
side,  this  modification  applies  equally  to  either  route  compared,  and  may 
remain  as  an  item  for  future  consideration,  the  expense  being  regarded  as 
inconsiderable. 

A  plan,  indeed,  has  occurred  to  me  by  which  the  whole  of  this  accessi- 
ble portion  between  Buffalo  and  the  mouth  of  Tonnewanta  creek  might 
be  somewhat  more  retired  and  more  easily  protected.  The  expense  of  this 
work  would  be,  of  course,  somewhat  greater.  Let  the  canal  commence 
at  Buffalo,  and  carry  the  level  of  the  lake,  as  nearly  as  may  be  admissi- 
ble, along  the  valley  of  the  Niagara  river,  as  far  retired  from  its  margin  as 
the  nature  of  the  topography  will  permit,  to  the  mouth  of  Gill  creek,  as- 
cending the  valley  of  this  stream  to  the  head  of  Fish  creek,  as  per  line 
No.  2,  and  thence  descending  to  lake  Ontario.  By  this  means  we  save  a 
very  considerable  prism  of  rock  excavation,  and  thus  compensate,  in  some 
measure,  for  the  greater  length  of  the  canal.  This  prism  would  be  pro- 
portionate to  the  elevation  that  lake  Erie  may  possess  over  the  level  of 
Niagara  river,  at  our  point  of  beginning,  near  Porter's  store-house. 

The  plans,  maps,  and  profiles,  accompanying  the  present  report,  are  as 
follows : 

General  topographical  map,  Lewiston  line — No.  1. 
Plan  of  location  for  descent  of  ridge,  artificial  harbor,  and  section  of 
lock — No.  2. 

General  topographical  map,  Lockport  line — No.  3. 

Map  of  harbor  at  mouth  of  Eighteen-mile  creek — No  4. 

Profile  line,  No.  1. 

Profile  line,  No.  2. 

Profile  line,  No.  3. 

Profile  line,  No.  4. 

Profile  line,  No.  5. 

These  comprise  all  the  various  data  obtained  in  the  course  of  our  exam- 
ination; and  will,  I  hope,  when  collated  with  my  report,  satisfactorily 
illustrate  the  subject  under  consideration. 

In  the  course  of  my  duty  I  have  been  assisted  in  the  field,  and  in  the 
various  incidental  calculations  connected  with  the  survey,  by  Lieutenant 
T.  F.  Drayton  and  Lieutenant  J.  G.  Reed,  United  States  army  ;  and  I  do 
not  regard  it  as  an  empty  form  to  express  to  them,  through  the  bureau,  my 
acknowledgments  for  the  very  assiduous  and  efficient  attention  they  have 
bestowed  upon  every  minutia  of  duty  intrusted  to  them. 

Lieutenant  E.  B.  White,  United  States  artillery,  and  Mr.  G.  W.  Feath- 
erstonhaughjr.,  United  States  civil  engineers,  have  likewise  assisted,  very 
essentially,  in  the  drawings  and  calculations  that  have  been  involved  du- 
ring the  progress  of  my  report — having  been  attached  to  my  brigade  since 
the  close  of  our  field  duties. 

Of  the  preceding  lines,  we  will  assume  the  five  following  as  the  best 
basis  on  which  to  institute  a  comparison  by  reference  to  their  fitness  for  the 
proposed  project  : 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ]  23 

Cost. 

Line  No.  1. — Shortest  route  from  Porter's  store-house  to 
steamboat  wharf,  or  ferry,  at  Lewiston, 
by  single  locks  -  -  -      $2,568,899  36 

Do.  by  double  locks  -  -  -        3,610,596  21 


Line  No.  2. — From  Porter's  store-house  by  Gill  creek  and 
Four-mile  creek,  terminating  on  lake 
Ontario  ....     $4,616,423  47 


Modification  of  line  No.  2,  as  above,  and  terminating  at 

Lewiston,  passing  through  artificial  harbor  $4,744,982  S8 

Line  No.  5. — By  Eighteen-mile  creek,  Lockport,  and  Ton- 
ne wanta  creek           -          -          -  $5,041,725  48 


Lengths  of  lines  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  and  4,  together  with  their  "  modifications," 
included  between  Porter's  store-house  and  Lewiston,  and  Porter's  store^ 
house  and  mouth  of  Four-mile  creek. 

Miles.  Feet, 

Line  No.  1. — From  Porter's  store -house  to  Queenstown  ferry, 
byway  of  Bloody  run,  Devil's  hole,  and  Fort 
Grey,  descending  mountain  by  double  and 
consecutive  locks         -  -  7  4,040 

Line  No.  1. — From  Porter's  store  to  "  steamboat  wharf,"  at 

Lewiston,  descending  mountain  by  single  locks    8  3,660 

Line  No.  1. — From  Porter's  store-house  to  "Qneenstownferry," 
at  Lewiston,  descending  mountain  by  single 
locks,  principally       -  -  -  -    8  3,180 

Line  No.  4. — From  Porter's  store-house,  by  "New  Manches- 
ter," to  steamboat  wharf,  at  Lewiston,  follow- 
ing the  valley  of  Fisk  creek,  and  descending 
mountain  through  depression  at  Miller's  sul- 
phur spring    -  -  -  -  -    9  5,230 

Line  No.  3. — From  Porter's  store-house,  by  New  Manchester, 
to  steamboat  wharf,  at  Lewiston,  descending 
the  mountain  at  Fort  George  -  -  10  2,400 

Line  No.  3. — From  Porter's  store-house,  by  same  route,  but  ter- 
minating at  Lewiston,  at  Queenstown  ferry  -  10  1,920 

Line  No.  2. — From  Porter's  store-house  to  mouth  of  Four-mile 
creek,  following  the  valleys  of  Gill  and  Four- 
mile  creeks,  and  descending  mountain  through 
depression  at  Miller's  sulphur  spring  -  14  5,000 

Modification  of  line  No.  2,  by  diverging  at  C,  at  foot  of  second 
bcrm,  and  following  it  westwardly  to  D,  where 
it  debouches  into  artificial  harbor      -  -  5,120 


24 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


C. 

Military  and  commercial  memoir. 

In  regard  to  general  considerations  involved  in  the  project  of  the  canal 
around  the  falls  of  Niagara,  those  relating  to  military  defences  are  first  in 
a  national  point  of  view  ;  scarcely  less  prominent,  however,  are  those 
which  relate  to  the  amelioration  of  commercial  relations  between  the 
highly-productive  regions  of  the  upper  lakes  and  the  Northeastern  States. 

Regarding  it  as  a  national  military  work,  without  adverting  to  the  pre- 
cise location  of  the  canal,  (which,  by  reference  to  the  routes  we  have  sur- 
veyed, would  be  matter  for  the  locating  engineer,  as  directed  by  the  views 
of  the  National  Government.)  its  advantages  would  be  to  give  celerity  to 
the  movement  of  forces,  munitions  of  war,  shipping — in  a  word,  the  ma- 
teriel of  an  army  between  the  two  lakes,  Erie  and  Ontario ;  which,  in 
case  of  war  with  Great  Britain,  would  doubtless  become  the  scene  of  ac- 
tive operations. 

The  efficiency  imparted  to  military  force,  derived  from  the  power  of 
concentrating,  is  a  principle  in  strategy  too  well  understood  to  need  illus- 
tration. In  its  application  to  our  subject,  we  realize  its  value  in  a  con- 
spicuous manner. 

It  is  almost  certain  that,  in  the  event  of  hostilities  between  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  the  naval  warfare  on  the  lakes  would  be  exten- 
sively assisted,  or,  perhaps,  entirely  conducted,  by  vessels  propelled  by 
steam.  In  such  case,  their  light  draught  of  water  would  enable  them  to 
pass  from  one  lake  to  the  other  with  such  dimensions  of  canal  as  have 
been  projected. 

This  is  a  desideratum  to  which  every  mind  must  be  sensible :  it  would 
impart  mobility  to  our  force,  and  enable  us  oftentimes  to  secure  the  fruits 
of  a  victory,  or  suddenly  to  repair  the  disasters  of  defeat. 

By  this  facility,  the  invasion  of  our  territory  on  either  lake  might  be 
prevented,  with  all  the  concomitant,  desolating  effects  of  war.  A  thousand 
modifications  of  circumstances  might  be  adduced,  to  show  defeat  and  dis- 
aster to  our  arms  as  the  result  of  the  want  of  means  of  co-operation  be- 
tween our  naval  forces  on  the  lakes  ;  but  I  regard  it  as  sufficient  to  lead 
the  attention  to  this  department  of  the  subject,  without  occupying  time  with 
details  which  must  be  obvious  to  every  intelligence. 

Neither  ought  our  Government  to  Hatter  itself  that  the  British  and  Cana- 
dian Governments  are  insensible  to  the  advantages  to  be  derived,  in  such 
an  event,  from  interior  communication.  The  former  has  already  construct- 
ed a  steamboat  canal,  ostensibly  for  military  purposes,  from  Montreal  to 
Kingston ;  and  one  for  commercial  and  military  purposes,  from  lake  On- 
tario to  lake  Erie. 

The  advantages  to  be  derived  to  the  British,  in  case  of  hostility,  from 
these  facilities,  would  be  incalculable  ;  and  a  commensurate  caution  is  call- 
ed for  on  our  side,  to  counteract  their  tendency.  Under  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  a  chain  of  communication  by  steamboat 
canals  was  opened  from  Montreal  to  Kingston,  a  distance  of  246  miles. 
These  consist  of  La  Chine,  Carrillon,  Blondeau,  and  Grenville  canals ; 
but  the  project  to  which  these  are  only  accessory,  is  the  Rideau  canal,  ex- 
tending from  By  town  to  Kingston,  126  miles,  which  alone  has  cost  the 
British  Government  the  sum  of  six  millions  of  dollars,  and  boasts  of  some 


[  Eep.  No.  463.  J 


25 


of  the  finest  construction  in  the  department  of  civil  engineering  existent 
in  any  country.  Yet  this  is  only  a  part  of  the  project ;  and  a  line  of 
military  works  is  contemplated  to  secure  it  against  aggression,  and  render 
it  an  efficient  channel  of  communication  in  the  event  of  war  with  the 
United  States. 

The  works  on  the  Rideau  canal  were  constructed  under  the  direction 
of  Colonel  By,  of  the  royal  engineers,  assisted  by  officers  of  the  same 
corps.  It  remains  under  surveillance  of  the  engineer  department,  and 
officers  of  engineers  are  stationed  at  Bytown  and  Kingston,  and  interme- 
diately, for  that  object.  The  military  works  at  Quebec  are  proceeding  to 
completion,  at  great  expense  ;  and  the  garrisons  at  various  points  of  their 
frontier  are  by  no  means  neglected.  These  facts  are  not  irrelevant,  as 
demonstrating  that  the  British  Government,  although  in  time  of  profound 
peace,  regard  the  military  position  of  the  colony  with  marked  solicitude. 

In  sections  of  our  country  having  no  immediate  relations  with  the  Can- 
adas,  nor  interest  in  the  changes  that  are  operating  there,  the  generality 
of  persons  refer  to  the  lessons  of  their  boyhood  as  the  sources  of  informa- 
tion, and  they  regard  it  as  a  bleak,  sterile,  unpopulated  country,  and  a 
burden  to  the  parental  Government  which  sustains  il.  This,  to  a  certain 
extent,  was  true  but  a  few  years  ago  :  but  the  scene  has  changed  mate- 
rially, and  a  reference  to  statistic  records  will  show  that  a  very  small  por- 
tion of  our  own  country  can  boast  of  a  more  rapid  amelioration  than  has 
taken  place  in  regard  to  the  Canadian  Provinces. 

In  1834,  by  an  official  statement,  it  appears  that  the  population  of  Up- 
per Canada  had  doubled  within  eight  years  ;  that  it  is  of  a  peculiarly 
valuable  character ;  and  that  the  development  of  agricultural  and  com- 
mercial resources  has  been  commensurate. 

A  few  facts  will  corroborate  the  truth  of  the  remark.  It  is  stated,  upon 
good  authority,  that  of  late  years  the  annual  emigration  to  Canada  from 
England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland,  amounts  to  from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand 
souls  ;  and  a  cursory  visit  to  that  country  will  exhibit  to  us, most  strikingly, 
the  advantageous  difference  in  character  of  that  emigration  and  the  one 
which  is  received  in  our  Atlantic  cities  from  the  same  source  ;  and  the 
cause  is  obvious.  The  industrious  mechanic,  the  laborious  pains-taking 
farmer,  who,  as  the  reward  of  their  efforts,  have  enjoyed  competency  and 
comfort  at  home,  when  moved  by  the  spirit  of  enterprise,  do  not  wish  to 
sever  themselves  entirely  from  those  institutions  under  which  they  have 
derived  those  advantages  ;  whilst  the  idle  and  improvident  desire  nothing 
so  much  as  a  change  from  a  state  of  things  under  which  they  have  suf- 
fered want  and  penury,  and  to  which  they,  for  the  most  part,  unjustly 
attribute  their  ill  fortune. 

To  this  is  to  be  added  the  great  difficulty  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  best 
class  of  emigration  to  this  country  by  the  British  Government,  with  the 
facilities  afforded  to  its  establishment  in  the  Provinces. 

It  became  my  duty,  under  instructions  from  those  to  whom  I  was  refer- 
red by  the  department  for  my  guidance  during  my  operations  of  the  last 
summer,  to  make  myself,  by  personal  observation,  acquainted  with  the 
advance  of  improvement  in  this  section  of  the  continent. 

Under  these  auspices,  I  was  induced  to  diverge  somewhat  from  the 
beaten  track  of  visiters  to  the  Canadas,  and  have  verified,  and  can  attest 
the  truth  of  the  foregoing  observations  ;  but  their  full  illustration  would 
be  necessarily  founded  upon  details  in  their  relation  incompatible  with  the 


26 


i 

[  Eep.  Xo.  463. 


general  nature  of  my  report,  but  which,  in  their  sum,  have  made  a  sen- 
sible and- well  defined  impression  upon  my  mind. 

As  belonging  immediately  to  my  profession,  however,  I  cannot  help 
indulging  in  a  comment  upon  some  of  the  works  of  civil  construction  on 
the  Rideau  canal.  At  Bytown,  Jones's  falls,  and  Kingston  mills,  are 
certainly  some  of  the  finest  specimens  of  hydraulic  architecture  on  the 
continent  of  America.  At  Bytown  are  eight  consecutive  locks,  seven  of 
10,  and  one  of  11  feet  lift,  133  feet  long  and  33  feet  broad  :  these,  as  well 
as  the  locks  at  Kingston  mills,  are  worthy  of  the  highest  admiration.  But 
it  is  at  Jones's  falls  that  the  most  remarkable  work  is  achieved.  It  con- 
sists of  a  dam  62  feet  in  height  and  400  long,  in  solid  masonry,  and  among 
the  most  perfect  in  existence  ;  a  waste  wier  cut  through  a  solid  rock,  and 
a  descent  of  60  feet  by  three  consecutive  locks,  and  a  fourth  with  an  in- 
termediate basin.  The  dimensions  of  the  locks  are  as  those  above  stated, 
with  the  extraordinary  lift  of  15  feet ;  yet,  under  the  head  of  water  con- 
sequent upon  such  a  plan,  there  is  scarcely  the  appearance  of  a  leak,  and 
the  masonry  is  of  the  most  finished  and  beautiful  character. 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  express  myself  indebted  to  the  frank  and 
liberal  politeness  of  the  British  officers  generally,  during  my  visit  to  the 
Canadas. 

I  have  to  thank  Captain  Bolton,  of  the  royal  engineers,  not  only  for  his 
elegant  hospitality,  but  for  the  facilities  he  afforded  me  for  observing  many 
valuable  modifications  relating  to  my  profession,  and  taking,  in  regard  to 
the  details  of  locks,  &c,  such  memoranda  and  drawings  as  were  suggested 
by  many  portions  of  this  truly  magnificent  work  of  civil  construction. 

I  have,  perhaps,  employed  more  emphasis  than  was  necessary  in  re- 
gard to  this  subject :  but  I  feel  assured  the  work  is  scarcely  known 
throughout  the  United  States,  otherwise  than  by  name,  even  to  profes- 
sional engineers,  and  much  less  to  the  community  generally  ;  to  whom,  in 
reference  to  the  subject  in  hand,  I  cannot  but  think  it  must  prove  inter- 
esting. 

Resuming  our  discussion,  let  us  now  suppose  a  population  of  the  kind 
to  which  I  have  referred,  established,  as  it  ultimately  will  be,  in  the  ex- 
tensive region  comprised  between  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  as  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  and  the  southern  boundary  of  New 
York,  and  lying  between  lake  Superior  on  the  west,  and  St.  Lawrence 
river  on  the  east,  with  lakes  Huron,  Erie,  and  Ontario  on  the  south,  pos- 
sessing a  climate  attempered  by  the  genial  influence  of  surrounding  inland 
seas  ;  and  we  shall  be  made  sensible,  at  once,  of  its  imposing  attitude,  in 
every  relation,  to  awaken  a  national  solicitude. 

But,  limiting  our  view,  it  will  be  sufficient  for  our  immediate  object  to 
concentrate  our  reflections  upon  the  region  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  the  peninsula  of  Upper  Canada,  stretching  itself  far  into 
the  territory  of  the  United  States.  It  is  this  section,  which  will,  in  a  few 
years,  according  to  the  present  ratio,  contend  with  any  of  our  most  flour- 
ishing States,  both  in  population  and  resources,  that  we  have  just  cause  to 
regard  with  a  jealous  eye. 

By  the  enterprise  of  the  Canadians,  a  railroad  is  contemplated  to  con- 
nect lake  Huron  with  lake  Ontario.  This  project  being  carried  into 
execution,  (as  it  certainly  will  be,)  it  becomes  the  great  portage  between 
the  upper  lakes  and  lake  Ontario,  and  will  have  an  immediate  influence 
in  concentrating  population,  and  developing  the  resources  of  this  valuable 
territory. 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


27 


When  we  contemplate  the  maps  of  this  region,  and  notice  the  peninsula 
of  Upper  Canada  jutting  into  our  country,  and  reflect  that,  independently 
of  its  local  advantages,  with  those  of  soil,  climate,  and  population,  it  pos- 
sesses a  retired  and  guarded  line  of  communication,  issuing  from  the  im- 
pregnable fortress  of  Quebec,  in  the  hands  of  so  great  a  military  Power,  as 
Great  Britain,  we  should  not  be  insensible  to  such  precautions  as  are  cal- 
culated to  increase  the  security  of  our  frontier,  whilst  subserving  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  cause  of  commerce,  agriculture,  and  civil  industry. 

We  are  not  so  illusory  as  to  interpose  the  Niagara  canal  as  an  aegis 
against  the  growing  power  to  which  we  have  alluded  ;  but  it  should  be 
regarded  as  one  important  measure,  as  concentrating  population,  by  open- 
ing the  facilities  of  collateral  avenues,  by  rendering  available  the  immense 
hydraulic  advantages  of  which  this  point  is  susceptible,  and  by  thus  giv- 
ing strength  to  this  exposed  frontier. 

Were  the  National  Government  to  purchase  a  site  for  armories,  and  es- 
tablish foundries  there,  it  would  become  the  nucleus  of  a  powerful  manu- 
facturing interest,  and  concentrate  a  population  which,  in  time  of  war, 
would  be  ever  ready  to  arm  in  defence  of  its  threshold,  and  become  the 
most  efficient  guaranty  against  aggression. 

It  must  not  be  imagined  that  its  contiguity  to  the  frontier  would  render 
it  unsafe  for  such  object ;  for,  supposing  it  to  receive  the  attention  from 
Government  that  it  deserves,  in  a  military  aspect  it  may  be  regarded  as 
one  of  the  strongest  defensible  positions  on  our  frontier. 

On  the  west  it  is  entirely  inaccessible,  by  means  of  the  rushing  waters 
and  precipitous  banks  of  the  Niagara  river.  To  attack  from  the  south, 
the  enemy  would  be  obliged  to  cross  a  considerable  distance  above  the 
falls,  and  descend  the  river  on  the  American  side,  through  a  densely  set- 
tled section  of  country  :  his  line  of  operations  would  therefore  be  attenua- 
ted, and  eventually  intercepted.  On  the  east,  in  the  supposition  that  the 
canal  be  constructed,  its  gorge  would  be  unassailable  by  the  interposition 
of  a  body  of  water  of  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  wide,  and  ten  deep,  which 
would  be  rendered  impassable  by  the  resistance  opposed,  or  at  least  pro- 
duce a  delay  that  would  be  incompatible  with  the  nature  of  an  enterprise 
requiring  for  success  the  greatest  celerity. 

The  Lewiston  ridge  offers  a  barrier  on  the  south  side,  which,  with  a 
little  attention,  might  be  rendered  inaccessible.  The  Fort  Niagara,  with- 
in so  short  a  distance  of  the  only  point  where  a  landing  could  be  effected 
on  the  Niagara  river  from  the  opposite  shore,  would  be  a  sufficient  pre- 
ventive to  an  incursion  from  this  quarter. 

A  landing  for  such  object  could  only  be  effected  by  the  want  of  precau- 
tion on  our  side,  under  cover  of  night,  and  by  a  small  number.  The  en- 
terprise would  certainly  be  cut  off  by  a  detachment  from  the  garrison, 
with  which  this  position  would  stand  in  military  relation,  both  offensive 
and  defensive  ;  aided,  also,  by  armed  parties  of  the  inhabitants,  inspired 
by  patriotism,  and  rendered  vigilant  by  a  sense  of  insecurity  from  the 
proximity  of  the  enemy. 

In  the  execution  of  the  project  also  to  which  I  refer,  this  manufacturing 
district  would  become  the  terminus  of  avenues  leading  to  every  part  of 
the  State.  Thus,  an  enemy  of  the  force  we  refer  to,  once  upon  the  high 
ground  above  the  Lewiston  ridge,  and  he  would  be  assailed  from  every 
point  with  a  promptitude  that  would  render  success  to  his  enterprise,  nay,  an 
escape,  impossible.    With  great  deference,  we  advance  the  opinon  that  a 


28 


Eep.  Xo.  463.  ] 


liberal  policy  would  regard  such  a  project  as  of  the  greatest  national  im- 
portance, as  calculated  to  increase  the  strength  of  this  at  present  assaila- 
ble frontier,  by  augmenting  its  population  and  resources,  and  by  provi- 
ding it  with  arms  and  all  the  materials  for  defence. 

The  shield  of  national  protection  would  be  thus  interposed,  with  a  pa- 
ternal care,  to  shelter  the  inhabitants  of  this  section  from  the  calamities  in- 
cidental to  their  position  in  time  of  war. 

But  a  more  enlarged  view  may  be  taken  in  regard  to  the  proposed  pro- 
ject— a  view  in  which  I  caimot  but  think  the  country  at  large,  stimulated 
by  a  sense  of  national  pride,  must  take  a  deep  interest. 

In  the  event  of  a  war,  it  is  apparent,  from  the  increasing  resources  of 
Upper  Canada,  and  the  policy  by  which  Great  Britain  appears  to 
be  actuated,  that  the  most  energetic  efforts  would  be  made  upon  the  fron- 
tier ;  and  it  would  be  question  of  invasion  from  one  side  or  the  other,  con- 
ducted upon  an  extensive  scale.  Should  we  not  become  the  aggressors, 
it  is  almost  obvious  that  the  enemy  would  soon  place  himself  in  the  atti- 
tude to  become  so. 

A  true  policy,  founded  upon  established  principles,  dictates  that  we 
should  prepare  for  the  contingency  under  any  circumstances  ;  but  the 
more  imperiously  in  the  present  instance,  where  the  object  may  be  effected 
with  inconsiderable  expenditure  hi  ostensible  military  preparation,  and 
without  giving  the  slightest  ground  of  complaint  to  a  nation  with  whom 
we  are  at  peace. 

By  the  arts  of  peace,  and  for  purposes  of  great  commercial  utility,  we 
may  prepare  this  section  of  the  country  to  become,  in  case  of  emergency, 
a  depot  of  inestimable  value  to  the  whole  of  our  Northwestern  frontier. 

From  this  point  (Pappui,  in  the  event  of  invasion  from  our  side,  troops 
and  munitions  of  war  could  afford  ready  reinforcements  to  lines  of  opera- 
tion, diverging,  as  they  would  do,  from  this  point  of  contact  of  the  hostile 
territories.  Under  the  influence  of  its  strength  and  its  contiguous  resources, 
the  passage  of  the  Niagara  river  could  be  commanded,  both  at  the  head 
and  foot  of  navigation,  below  and  above  the  falls. 

In  the  circumstances  under  which  Canada  was  placed  last  war,  it  was 
undoubtedly  the  plan  to  have  cut  off  the  enemy's  line  of  operations  on  the 
St.  Lawrence  ;  as  Canada  would  then  have  fallen  into  our  hands  for  want 
of  resources  within  herself. 

But  the  face  of  things  has  changed  in  regard  to  that  country,  as  already 
explained,  and  she  would  henceforward  possess  internal  resources  of  no 
ordinary  capacity.  Moreover,  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  line  of  communica- 
tion, which  would  be  operated  by  the  Rideau  canal,  and  sustained  by  de- 
fensive works,  would  require  a  more  extended  line  of  operations  on  our 
part,  greatly  calculated  to  weaken  our  position  in  that  quarter. 

We  should,  therefore,  be  obliged  to  turn  our  attention  to  the  invasion  of 
Upper  Canada ;  and,  with  this  object  in  view,  such  a  point  as  the  one  to 
which  we  refer  would  become  a  principle  of  energy.  It  would  give  con- 
sistency to  our  project  of  campaign,  by  reducing  our  lines  of  operation  to 
their  minimum  ;  inspire  confidence  in  the  militia,  by  the  idea  of  the  prox- 
imity of  a  place  of  support ;  and  enable  us  to  improve  good  fortune,  or 
recover  from  the  effects  of  bad ;  in  a  word,  it  would  enable  us  not  only 
to  achieve  victories,  but  render  them  valuable  in  their  results. 

With  such  resources  at  hand,  we  should  be  enabled  to  effect  that  great- 
est of  desiderata,  to  carry  the  war  into  the  enemy's  country  ;  whilst  our 


[  Rep.  No.  463. 


29 


own  soil  and  firesides  upon  this  frontier  should  be  guarantied  from  the  hor- 
rors of  invasion. 

In  contemplating  a  state  of  things  such  as  this  hypothesis  is  founded 
upon,  I  do  not  think  my  views  can  be  deemed  visionary,  however  tranquil 
may^appear  the  horizon  in  this  quarter  at  the  present  moment.  Indeed, 
all  history  teems  with  the  assurance  that  war  is  a  state  of  things  insepara- 
ble from  the  nature  of  man,  springing  from  causes  so  light  in  their  incipi- 
ency  as  to  baffle  the  speculations  or  the  predictions  of  the  most  profound 
political  wisdom  in  assigning  results  to  the  diplomatic  intercourse  of  nations. 

But,  waiving  the  idea  of  collision  with  the  Canadas,  it  may  be  shown 
that  the  site  referred  to  possesses  many  peculiar  advantages  as  a  manu- 
facturing depot,  to  suit  the  most  general  emergencies ;  and  the  existing 
posture  of  affairs  with  a  powerful  maritime  nation  may  possibly  give  some 
weight  to  the  propositions  I  am  about  to  advance. 

The  stupendous  peculiarity  of  its  hydraulic  advantages  needs  no  com- 
ment. I  will  not  attempt  to  demonstrate  what  may  be  regarded  as  a 
proverb  :  it  is  unquestionable  that  a  greater  water  power,  and  that  too  in 
its  application  to  practical  purposes,  can  there  be  commanded  than  at  any 
other  point  on  the  surface  of  the  globe. 

It  is  the  advantages  of  its  local  position,  in  conjunction  with  its  other 
attributes,  that  I  shall  endeavor  to  illustrate.  For,  let  us  suppose  a  hostile 
fleet  blockading  our  Eastern  and  Southern  coast,  and  the  communication 
on  the  seaboard  entirely  cut  off  between  them — a  case  which- obviously 
might  occur — and  then  turn  our  reflections  to  the  unprotected  state  of  our 
Gulf  coast,  its  present  destitution  of  the  materials  necessary  to  its  defence, 
and  the  aid  it  would  always  require  in  the  exigency  of  war  from  the 
Northern  States ;  and  the  policy,  even  necessity,  of  i:s  possessing  some 
great  military  depot  in  a  secure  and  sheltered  situation,  becomes  impres- 
sively obvious. 

The  district  of  which  it  is  a  portion  stands  in  bold  relief,  by  reference 
both  to  its  central  position  and  the  properties  required. 

If  the  attention  be  turned  towards  the  map  of  the  United  States,  with 
this  object  in  view,  the  mind  will  be  struck  with  its  peculiar  advantages. 

The  Hudson  and  Erie  canal  passes  its  threshold;  New  York  is, there- 
fore, at  hand.  The  Susquehanna,  with  its  outstretched  arms,  approaches 
it  nearly ;  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore,  the  Delaware  and  Chesapeake,  are, 
therefore,  its  neighbors.  The  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  avenues  to  lake 
Champlain,  and  thence  the  branches  of  canal  through  the  Eastern  States, 
form  a  continuous  navigation.  The  vast  empire  of  water  of  the  great 
lakes  is  spread  before  it ;  but,  above  all,  in  the  sense  we  at  present  regard 
it,  New  Orleans  arid  our  Southern  coast,  through  the  great  valley  of  the 
Mississippi  and  the  canals  either  projected  or  already  executed,  stand  in  a 
relation  to  it  that  we  think  should  render  it  a  locality  of  peculiar  national 
interest,  and  highly  entitled  to  a  portion  of  that  public  expenditure  which 
belongs  to  a  general  system  of  precautionary  and  defensive  measures. 

By  means  of  the  Niagara  ship  canal,  the  Oswego  ship  canal,  projected, 
and  those  above  referred  to,  a  secure,  capacious,  and  expeditious  medium 
of  transit,  by  steam  navigation,  is  opened  between  the  chief  cities  of  our 
Eastern  coast,  and  the  vast  unprotected  territory  of  our  Southern  maritime 
frontier. 

We  will  now  advert  to  the  commercial  advantages  to  be  diffused  by  the 
project,  so  far  as  they  are  of  a  nature,  by  their  generality,  to  call  for  the 


30 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


aid  of  the  National  Government.  We  regard  as  paramount  the  con- 
nexion of  the  lakes  Superior,  Michigan,  Huron,  and  Erie,  with  the  lake 
Ontario,  which,  by  their  extent  and  depth,  may  be  severally  regarded  as 
inland  seas,  and  which  belong  not  to  any  particular  State,  so  far  as  they 
are  within  our  boundary,  but  to  the  entire  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States ; 
the  rendering  maritime  several  thousand  miles  of  lake  coast,  by  open- 
ing to  it  the  only  obstruction  to  direct  commerce  with  the  Atlantic,  through 
the  channel  of  the  St.  Lr.wrence,  secured  in  equal  participation  by  treaty 
to  the  United  States.  To  render  the  coast  of  the  United  States,  upon  our 
upper  lakes,  in  immediate  commercial  relation  with  a  foreign  nation  bor- 
dering the  lower  lake  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  with  our  own  coast  on 
the  lower  lake ;  placing  in  immediate  commercial  relation  the  United 
States  coast  of  the  upper  lakes  with  the  great  commercial  depot  of  New 
York,  through  the  medium  of  the  Oswego  and  Hudson  ship  canal,  to  be 
executed  by  the  State  of  New  York,  with  the  extraordinary  dimensions 
given  to  the  St.  Lawrence  canal,  now  executing,  in  conjunction  with  the 
projected  Niagara  canal,  ships  of  three  hundred  tons  might  navigate  from 
the  Atlantic  ocean  to  the  ports  on  our  upper  lakes. 

We  may  assume,  even,  that  a  large  class  of  merchant  ships,  by  a  con- 
struction modified  as  in  some  mercantile  nations  of  Europe,  might  be 
adapted  to  this  trade. 

In  discussing  the  subject  of  draught  in  vessels,  when  we  regard  the  ele- 
ments which  enter  in  assigning  the  burden  to  any  particular  draught,  we 
are  not  struck  with  any  difficulty  in  the  question  theoretically,  inasmuch 
as  it  is  determined  generally  by  the  length  multiplied  into  the  breadth 
into  the  depth,  either  of  which  factors  may  be  changed  at  will ;  and  we 
may,  therefore,  build  a  very  flat  vessel  to  carry  a  very  large  cargo,  by  in- 
creasing two  of  the  elements,  length  and  breadth,  and  yet  diminishing  the 
third.  As  our  plan  of  canal,  and  length  of  locks,  admit  of  considerable 
latitude  in  regard  to  the  two  former  dimensions,  no  obstacle  may  be  sup- 
posed to  the  adoption  of  a  construction  of  vessels  that  shall  be  calculated 
to  carry  a  cargo  of  a  magnitude  within  any  desirable  limit. 

But  I  felt  desirous  of  knowing  whether  the  ordinary  relative  draught 
was  not  prescribed  by  the  consideration  of  practical  benefits,  and  whether 
circumstances  of  sailing  or  genera]  manageableness  did  not,  in  some  mea- 
sure, militate  against  a  change  of  model ;  and  I  therefore  requested  in- 
formation through  the  medium  of  a  gentleman  whose  official  character 
gave  him  an  opportunity  of  procuring  the  data  required.  The  following 
letter  addressed  to  the  Hon.  J.  Turrill,  from  a  source  of  undoubted  respect- 
ability, establishes  the  proposition  I  have  advanced  : 

New  York,  March  10,  1836. 

My  Dear  Sir  :  On  conferring  with  those  who  are  eminently  skilful  in 
the  scientific,  as  well  as  those  who  confessedly  are  in  the  practical  branches 
of  sbip-building,  I  have  gathered  the  following  particulars,  in  reply  to  the 
queries  of  our  mutual  friend,  McWhorter,  addressed  to  me  on  the  subject, 
with  reference  to  the  projected  ship  canal. 

It  is  not  necessary,  in  order  to  ensure  great  sailing,  to  give  a  ship  a  great 
deal  of  dead  rise,  but  the  contrary ;  as  may  be  exemplified  in  simulta- 
neously launching  two  ships  of  equal  dimensions,  say  same  length,  width, 
and  depth ;  one  with  twenty-eight  inches  dead  rise  and  short  floor,  and 
the  other  with  fourteen  inches  with  a  long  floor.    The  sharp  ship  will 


[  Eep.  No.  463.  ] 


31 


draw  about  three  feet  more  than  the  flat  one,  and  will  require  consider- 
ably more  ballast ;  so  that  when  all  their  armament,  stores,  water,  &c.  are 
on  board,  you  will  perceive  that  the  sharp  vessel  is  drawing  about  fonr 
feet  more  water  than  the  flat  one  :  hence  it  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  the 
ship  with  the  least  dead  rise  will  displace  less  water  than  the  other.  Mr. 
Webb  (the  associate  of  the  late  Mr.  Eckford)  assures  me  that  a  frigate  of 
the  largest  class  can  be  so  constructed  as  to  have  all  the  qualities  that  can 
well  be  united  in  one  ship,  and  be  put  in  a  condition  for  transporting,  &c, 
and  not  to  exceed  a  draught  of  twelve  feet.  Flat  and  sharp  vessels  may, 
in  fact,  be  thus  contrasted :  what  the  one  may  gain  by  being  sharp,  the 
other  acquires  by  extra  buoyancy,  losing  nothing  in  going  to  windward 
by  the  peculiar  tiu'n  in  the  bilge.  The  word  peculiar  I  may  explain  by 
saying  that  great  sailing  may  be  attained  by  giving  half  an  inch  dead  rise 
to  every  foot  in  width ;  but  ships  built  upon  this  mode  must  have  the 
middle  fnttocks  crooked  with  an  abrupt  turn  in  the  bilge,  straight  sides  ; 
and  the  ihinner  the  ends  in  proportion  to  the  draught  of  water,  the  greater 
the  speed ;  and  they  are  sure,  from  the  abrupt  turn  in  the  bilge,  to  go  to 
windward  well,  and  also  to  steer  well. 

Pray  inform  me  if  the  foregoing  particulars  are  sufficiently  to  the  point 
to  meet  the  object  of  your  inquiries,  or  what  other  or  further  illustrations 
you  require;  and  I  will,  as  far  as  my  time  and  my  means  of  obtaining 
them  admit,  most  cheerfully  respond  therto. 

Remaining,  dear  sir,  yours,  faithfully, 

JOSEPH  FOWLER. 

The  innovation  to  which  our  supposition  refers  need  not  excite  surprise, 
when  we  reflect  that  it  would  accomplish  the  object  of  accommodating  a 
development  of  coast  such  as  we  have  stated,  and  possessing  a  back  coun- 
try as  rich  in  resources  as  any  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  The  advantages 
of  direct  communication  appear  more  striking  when  we  reflect  upon  the 
great  increase  of  expense  in  transportation,  arising  from  the  necessity  of 
transhipment  of  the  objects  of  trade  at  various  points  of  the  route. 

It  is  stated  in  a  report  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Welland  canal, 
1835,  that  "  merchandise  from  London  would  be  conveyed  to  Cleave- 
land  for  £2  10s.  per  ton,  which  now  costs  from  £3  to  £4  from  Montreal  to 
Prescott,  a  distance  of  130  miles  only."  This,  when  the  St.  Lawrence 
shall  be  rendered  navigable  by  the  work  now  constructing. 

Other  statements  are  before  me,  entering  greatly  into  detail,  and  ex- 
hibiting still  more  strikingly  the  advantages  of  preserving  the  bulk  of 
merchandise  unbroken,  from  the  time  of  its  shipment  until  its  arrival  at 
its  ultimate  destination. 

These  are  considerations  involving  an  amelioration  to  commerce,  by  its 
extent  and  utility,  worthy  the  patronage  of  a  paternal  Government.  The 
Niagara  ship  canal  is  a  work  that  in  its  consummation  would  awaken  into 
life  a  thousand  springs  of  latent  resources,  by  the  facilities  it  would  give  to 
the  transportation  of  objects  of  agricultural  and  manufacturing  industry  ; 
and  referring  to  the  broad  principle  of  analogy  for  our  support,  we  infer 
that  a  country,  such  as  that  which  borders  our  upper  lakes,  teeming  with 
undeveloped  agricultural  and  mineral  treasure,  when  brought  by  the  fa- 
cilities of  steam  navigation  within  a  greatly  diminished  distance,  by  refer- 
ence to  time,  of  the  emporium  of  New  York,  and  other  of  our  great  mer- 


32 


[  Hep.  No.  463.  | 


cantile  cities,  will  receive  an  increment  to  its  population,  and  develop  its 
resources  in  a  degree  commensurate  with  the  great  avenues  of  commerce 
to  which  we  refer,  and  surpassing  all  former  experience. 

We  have  practical  demonstration  of  the  increase  of  population,  and  the 
consequent  development  of  resources,  in  the  region  of  the  »upper  lakes, 
owing  to  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  Erie  canal,  that  through  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,  the  Mississippi  river,  and  the  various  other  collateral 
branches. 

But  it  should  be  remembered  that  this  tide  of  emigration  is  yet  incipi- 
ent; it  has  scarcely  received  its  impulse  ;  whilst  the  avenues  that  encour- 
aged the  emigrant  by  their  facilities,  are  arriving  at  their  maximum  of 
utility,  in  consequence  of  the  increase  of  commerce  upon  them. 

It  is  true  that  a  new  channel  is  opening  to  these  fertile  regions — the 
outlet  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  improvements  to  which  I  have  already 
referred  in  my  report,  namely,  the  Welland  and  St.  Lawrence  canals,  will 
offer  a  ready  means  of  bringing  their  products  to  a  market  ;  but  the  em- 
porium they  will  reach  will  be  that  of  a  foreign  nation.  Montreal  will 
enter  into  competition  with  our  own  markets. 

It  is  no  longer  question  of  preventing  the  descent  of  produce  from  the 
upper  lakes  to  lake  Ontario.  The  Welland  canal,  executed  by  the  Cana- 
dians, has  already  achieved  that  object,  and  it  has  proven  the  fallacy  of 
the  reasoning  that  "  produce,  once  afloat  on  lake  Ontario,  will  find  its 
way  to  Montreal." 

It  is  only  when  the  increasing  amount  of  trade  shall  become  more  than 
commensurate  with  the  facilities  afforded  to  deliver  it  at  the  emporium  of 
New  York  or  other  of  our  Eastern  cities,  that  rivalry  is  to  be  apprehended. 
This  has  been  abundantly  demonstrated  ;  for,  although  an  entire  naviga- 
tion exists  from  lake  Ontario,  by  means  of  the  Rideau,  Grenville,  and 
La  Chine  canals,  yet  does  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  produce  of  the 
upper  lakes  and  snores  of  lake  Ontario  find  its  way  through  the  Oswego 
and  Erie  canals  to  New  York. 

The  Oswego  and  Erie  canals,  in  their  present  state,  contend  successfully 
against  the  competition  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  But  new  facilities  are  pre- 
paring by  Canadian  enterprise,  and  the  St.  Lawrence  canal  will  bring  the 
market  of  Montreal  nearer  to  the  source  of  produce  by  several  days, 
without  the  necessity  of  intermediate  transhipment ;  thereby  effecting  a 
considerable  diminution  of  the  cost  of  transportation.  How  far  this  cir- 
cumstance will  deteriorate  the  value  of  our  own  channels  of  commerce, 
is  worthy  of  deep  consideration. 

For  the  sources  of  produce,  it  is  of  course  desirable  to  possess  many 
outlets.  But  it  seems  clear  that  the  policy  of  the  State  of  New  York 
would  find  it  expedient  to  anticipate  the  demand  for  market-way  ;  for  when 
its  necessity  shall  have  taught  the  inhabitants  on  the  borders  of  the  upper 
lakes  the  facilities  of  the  St.  Lawrence  canal,  it  would  be  difficult,  if  its 
advantages  are  such  as  are  in  anticipation  ascribed  to  it,  to  divert  the  ten- 
dency of  produce  from  Montreal. 

The  Hudson  and  Oswego  ship  canal  is  a  work  particularly  interesting 
to  the  city  and  State  of  New  York,  and  the  State  will  eventually,  or  per- 
haps immediately,  recognise  it  as  the  true  line  of  communication,  in  con- 
junction with  the  projected  Niagara  canal,  between  New  York  and  the 
Northwestern  States. 

The  simple  fact  that  it  saves  a  distance  of  artificial  navigation  of  120 


f  Bep.  Ko.  463.  ] 


33 


miles,  and  only  increases  the  absolute  distance  by  15  miles,  and  a  few  feet 
of  lockage,  is  a  sufficient  element  to  establish  its  great  relative  economy; 
and  this  hypothesis  is  sustained  by  experience:  for  it  appears  by  official 
returns,  that  there  is  a  saving  of  expense  on  the  amount  of  goods  trans- 
ported between  New  York>and  Cleaveland,  of  upwards  of  30  per  cent,  by 
this  route  over  that  by  Buffalo,  even  under  the  present  inauspicious  cir- 
*  cumstance  of  a  defective  channel  of  communication  around  the  falls  of 
Niagara,  through  the  Welland  canal. 

It  should  be  remarked  that  this  work  is  defective,  both  in  its  location 
and  construction  ;  not  arising,  I  infer,  from  want  of  judgment  in  the  engi- 
neers, but  from  the  desire  to  complete  a  great  project  with  inadequate 
means.  In  its  present  situation,  constant  delays  are  to  be  apprehended  in 
the  passage  of  vessels ;  and  to  render  it  an  efficient  thoroughfare,  would 
involve  a  very  serious  expenditure  of  money — an  expense  that  would 
continually  recur,  unless  the  whole  plan  of  the  work  should  be  remodelled. 

In  its  present  state,  if  the  Niagara  canal  on  our  side  should  merely  be 
determined  on,  the  great  efforts  now  making  by  the  Canadians  to  give  to 
the  Welland  canal  a  greater  degree  of  efficiency  would  probably  be  ren- 
dered unavailing,  and  it  would  eventually  sink  into  disuse. 

This  effect  obviousty  resolves  itself  into  a  consideration  of  great  import- 
ance, and  suggests  the  expediency  of  an  immediate  action  in  regard  to  the 
measures  herein  recommended. 

The  next  commercial  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  Niagara  canal  is 
that  which  relates  to  the  Northeastern  portion  of  our  country,  by  the 
Ogdensburg  canal,  and  by  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Plattsburg  canal,  which 
have  been  already  projected,  and  which  would  doubtlessly  be  executed  in 
the  event  to  which  we  refer  ;  the  produce  of  our  far  West  would  be  con- 
ducted to  the  waters  of  lake  Chainplain,  and  thence  by  the  projected  La 
Morelle  canal,  Montpelier  canal,  Passumpsic  canal,  &c,  "to  every  section  of 
New  England  ;  and,  in  return,  a  most  economical  outlet  would  be  pre- 
sented for  the  active  manufacturing  and  productive  industry  of  that  enter- 
prising portion  of  our  country. 

It  would  be  impossible,  without  rendering  our  report  too  voluminous, 
to  enter  into  detail  in  regard  to  the  various  ramifications  of  commercial 
enterprise  that  would,  in  all  probability,  receive  an  impulse,  should  it 
become  an  object  of  national  interest  to  remove  the  barrier  in  an  efficient 
manner  between  lakes  Erie  and  Ontario,  improve  the  harbors  upon  their 
extensive  coasts,  effect  the  communication  between  lake  Michigan  and 
the  Illinois  river — in  a  word,  by  its  paternal  influence,  constitute  the 
national  waters  of  our  Northern  lakes  a  common  market-way  to  the  vari- 
ous States  bordering  upon  them,  or  enjoying  their  influence  in  a  less  im- 
mediate degree. 

In  order  to  avoid  enumeration  of  details,  I  have  appended  to  the  accom- 
panying map  of  the  survey  a  general  map  of  the  States  to  which  my  re- 
port has  reference,  showing  the  various  canals  projected  or  executed.  It 
will  exhibit  at  a  glance  the  relative  dependence  of  many  of  them  for  in- 
creased success  upon  the  removal  of  the  obstruction  to  navigation  between 
the  two  lakes,  Erie  and  Ontario  ;  it  will  likewise  illustrate  certain  passages 
of  my  report  referring  to  the  Provinces  of  Upper  and  Lower  Canada. 

The  various  topographical  data  in  regard  to  the  lakes  are  marked  upon 
the  map.  A  comparative  estimate  is  also  noted  of  the  development  of 
coast  bordering  these  inland  seas,  and  that  of  our  Atlantic  and  Southern 
3 


34 


[  Rep.  No.  463.  ] 


coast,  By  this  it  appears  that  the  length  of  the  lake  coast  exceeds  the 
whole  extent  of  that  of  the  Atlantic,  from  Passamaquoddy  bay  to  Sabine 
river,  by  two  thousand  miles. 

Of  this  development  of  lake  coast,  the  portion  on  lake  Ontario  will  be 
united  to  the  ocean  by  a  ship  canal  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  to  which  I  have 
already  referred. 

The  remaining  portion  is  separated,  in  regard  to  steamboats  and  ships 
of  moderate  burden,  by  the  obstruction  on  the  Niagara  river,  to  which  my 
report  refers. 

The  territory  that  would  be  sensibly  benefited,  under  the  hypothesis  of 
this  removal  by  the  plan  proposed,  would  be  principally  New  York, 
Ohio,  Michigan,  a  portion  of  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
'Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  even  remotely  the  Northwestern  Territory, 
Moreover,  the  sphere  of  commercial  transit  upon  the  great  channel  of  the 
Mississippi  will,  by  the  facilities  of  this  project,  be  greatly  enlarged.  A 
steamboat  navigation  from  New  York  to  New  Orleans  would  open  a  new 
era  in  the  destinies  of  the  Southwestern  States  of  our  confederacy.  We 
cannot,  I  think,  refer  with  too  much  emphasis  to  the  projected  ship  canal 
between  lake  Michigan  and  the  Mississippi,  by  the  Des  Plaines  and  the 
Illinois  rivers. 

The  project  is  ably  treated  in  a  letter  from  the  United  States  Chief 
Engineer,  in  answer  to  a  call  for  information  from  a  member  of  the  United 
States  Legislature  upon  that  subject.  The  distance  between  New  York 
and  New  Orleans  by  this  route,  and  that  by  sea,  around  Cape  Florida,  as 
deduced  from  Tanner's  map  of  the  United  States,  is  nearly  the  same  ; 
but  when  we  reflect  upon  the  dangerous  navigation,  and  the  increased 
distance  by  the  divergency  of  the  ship  from  her  proper  course,  arising 
from  adverse  winds,  which,  by  reference  to  the  going  and  return  voyage, 
must  be  estimated  at  one-fourth,  we  must  be  forcibly  struck  with  the  ad- 
vantages that  the  combined  project  would  afford  to  the  commercial  inter- 
course between  New  York  and  the  great  emporium  of  the  South,  and  the 
idea  it  suggests  of  healthful  action  to  the  commercial  and  agricultural  re- 
lations of  the  intermediate  points. 

The  distance  we  have  carefully  measured,  on  the  map,  between  New 
York  and  New  Orleans,  by  way  of  Oswego,  Niagara,  Maumee,  and 
Wabash  canal,  and  it  amounts  to  two  thousand  and  eighty-five  ;  whilst 
the  distance  around  the  Florida  coast  is  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty  ;  leaving  a  balance  in  favor  of  the  lake  route  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty -five  miles. 

Another  branch  of  my  report  relates  to  the  advantages  to  be  derived  to 
the  General  Government  by  the  facilities  given  to  emigration,  and  bring- 
ing, in  respect  to  time,  a  remote  and  unpeopled  frontier  in  closer  conti- 
guity with  more  densely  inhabited  and  civilized  regions ;  thereby  enhan- 
cing the  value  of  the  public  domains,  and  procuring  for  them  a  more  ready 
and  advantageous  sale. 

This  consideration  is  of  more  importance  than  might  appear  from  first 
glance.  When  we  reflect  that  the  economy  of  a  journey  depends,  in  so 
great  a  degree,  upon  its  continuity  and  despatch,  delays  at  points  of  a 
route  where  conveyances  are  changed,  obliging  the  emigrant  to  incur  the 
expensive  charges  of  cities  or  towns,  are  a  barrier  to  emigration  ;  because 
the  expenses  of  the  whole  route  cannot  be  calculated  previously  to  depart- 
ure, and  a  consequent  apprehension  is  inspired  to  many  of  the  poorer 


f  Rep.  No.  463.  J  35 


classes,  who  eventually  exhaust  their  resources  in  the  cities  where  they 
debark,  and,  by  compulsion  of  poverty,  remain  there ;  thus,  instead  of 
becoming  a  valuable  accession,  by  their  labors,  to  the  thinly-populated 
territory  of  the  West,  they  oftentimes  become  a  burden  and  expense  to  the 
community  which  has  the  misfortune  to  receive  them.  The  project  in 
question,  with  the  Oswego  and  Hudson  canals,  would  afford  a  cheap,  con- 
tinuous, and  rapid  mode  of  transportation,  by  steam,  from  New  York  to 
the  remote  public  domains  of  our  upper  lakes. 

In  conjunction  with  the  St.  Lawrence  canal,  Montreal  and  Quebec 
would  stand  in  a  similar  relation  ;  and  those  great  recipients  of  European 
emigration  would  send  forth,  with  renewed  impulse,  their  thousands,  to 
render  many  a  tract  of  wilderness  the  abodes  of  industry,  social  happi- 
ness, and  refinement. 

A  consideration  of  very  great  importance,  and  of  a  character  calling  for 
an  amelioration,  is  that  which  relates  to  the  shipping  interests  of  the  lakes, 
under  existing  circumstances.  The  vessels  navigating  the  lakes  are, 
during  the  rigors  of  winter,  blocked  in  their  harbors  by  the  ice  ;  by  this 
means,  a  large  amount  of  capital,  invested  in  shipping  employed  on 
the  lakes,  is  neutralized  for  several  months  of  the  year.  A  deterioration 
of  property,  proportionate  thereto,  ensues  ;  and  the  deprivation  of  em- 
ployment of  a  valuable  class  of  citizens,  in  the  seamen  by  whom  they  are 
navigated.  This  would  be  remedied  by  the  proposed  project,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  Oswego  and  Hudson  canals,  or  even  independently  of  the 
latter,  by  the  project  of  a  steamboat  canal,  now  executing  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence river,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Canadian  Government.  Should  the 
Niagara  ship  canal  be  constructed,  the  shipping  interest  of  the  upper  lakes 
would  participate  in  this  advantage. 

This  remark  applies  with  equal  propriety  to  Government  vessels  that 
in  any  contingency  may  be  built  and  employed  upon  the  lakes,  when  the 
service  upon  which  they  might  have  been  required  there  shall  cease. 

They  could,  by  the  means  we  suggest,  be  lightened  of  their  armament, 
and  brought  down  to  our  Eastern  seaboard  for  other  employment.  The 
full  force  of  this  suggestion  would  have  been  felt  at  the  expiration  of  the 
last  war  with  Great  Britain,  when  our  naval  preparations  upon  the  lakes 
became  entirely  useless,  and  a  dead  loss  to  the  nation. 

I  have  now  completed  a  cursory  review  of  such  general  considerations 
as  have  appeared  to  merit,  in  my  estimation,  the  notice  of  Government. 
In  this,  I  have  endeavored  to  avoid  minutiae,  foreseeing  that  they  would 
render  my  report  both  fatiguing  and  voluminous.  My  desire  has  been 
rather  to  call  attention  to  the  various  points  upon  which  an  argument 
might  be  based,  than  to  take  upon  myself  the  task  of  development. 

I  have  also  felt,  in  the  course  of  my  remarks,  that  too  much  detail 
would  but  embarrass  the  natural  course  of  thought ;  and  that  the  subject 
itself,  if  brought  to  the  reflection,  would  carry  conviction  in  its  train.  If 
I  have  shown  more  interest  in  the  question  than  is  usually  looked  for  at 
the  hands  of  the  engineer,  it  is  that  I  have  felt  the  strongest  conviction  of 
the  grandeur,  even  sublimity,  of  the  enterprise,  combined  with  its  general 
usefulness  to  the  country,  and  the  facility  of  its  execution. 

I  have  now  the  honor  to  submit  the  present  memoir,  with  the  various 
plans,  maps,  profiles,  and  other  illustrations,  connected  with  the  survey. 
I  am,  sir,  most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  G.  WILLIAMS, 
Captain  U.  S.  Top.  Engineers. 


/wc  *z*f     t  oy 


